Walk With Me
by Ruby Verfasser
Summary: The turtles meet up with a runaway hedgehog that they take into their home. But what is she really running from? Is it something she can't escape? Is it something that can find her anyway?
1. Runaway

**Hi guys! This is just another one of my crazy inventions! Warning: this story contains fighting, mild swearing, and Japanese speaking hedgehogs, reader discretion is advised. Lol, I sound like a movie announcer dude! XD At the end of each chapter with Japanese words, I'll translate for you! That way you can understand what's being said! I hope ya enjoy it!  
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It was a completely normal day in the big bad New York City, not one single change to be found. There were bright lights, crimes, and sirens. Yup, perfectly normal. The roads were like a maze with no finish, just twisting and turning endlessly. But who needs to be bothered with all those roads and signs? When you could just jump from building to building in a fraction of the time, why wrap yourself into the sea of lights and trouble? That's how the evening looked for teenage mutant ninja turtles Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. But strangely, crime was a low factor tonight. Now there was nothing to do but jump around like always. Or just relax on a rooftop and look into the starless night. Yes, that's it.

"Hey guys. Have you ever noticed how you can find a single star in the sky?" Mikey asked, breaking the partial silence.

"Yeah, that's because of all the city lights. Out in the country you can see millions of stars." Donny replied scientifically.

"Oh..." was Mikey's response. He didn't really care for the kind of knowledge his brother loved so much.

"AH!" a scream sliced through all other noises of the city, and rang through the brothers' ears (wait, do they have ears?). They jumped up in a flash, and rushed to the source of the scream. Between two buildings, in a dark alley as always, was a small girl and a large man. From the looks of it, the small girl was trying to defend herself from attacker tall man. But there was something different about this scene. The girl had a disturbing light blue tint to her face and legs. She was only a mere four and a half feet tall, the size of a nine year old. What was a girl so young doing out here all by herself? Another thing was the girl was holding an object much like a hammer, which looked heavy.

"Atchi e ike to watashi wo hottoi te!" she shouted in a different language.

Quick as always, the turtles jumped at the man and knocked him to the ground. Fortunately for them, he hit his head and was knocked unconscious.

"Okage de , watashi no seigyo ka ni i ta." the girl whispered.

"Uhh..." They didn't know how to respond to the girl's words. She looked at them thoughtfully, and took a few hesitant steps closer. Now that they could see her better, they saw that she was wearing a knee high pink skirt and a long sleeve white shirt. It looked oddly formal, a school uniform maybe? The only thing that didn't go with the outfit was her royal blue headband. Her eyes were a shockingly beautiful yellow, and she looked rather furry, much to their surprise. She honestly looked like a hedgehog, quills and all. She looked up at Mikey and held out her hand, which was gloved.

"Watashi ni anata no te wo sashinoberu." she said, eyeing him expectantly. When Mikey didn't move, she rolled her eyes and grabbed at his wrist. He tried to pull away, but the girl was surprisingly strong. She held up one finger, and Mikey, as if in a trance, did the same. The girl put her finger gently on Mikey's, and closed her eyes. After what seemed like forever, she opened her eyes and pulled away, stepping back several steps.

"Hello." she said, stiffly and slowly, "I'm Sarah, Sarah the Hedgehog"

"Hi? I'm Leonardo, but people call me Leo..." Leo said hesitantly, not too sure about this girl. She turned to the other turtles, looking at them nervously.

"My name is Donatello, Donny or Don for short." Donny was the next to speak, following his brother's bravery.

"Raphael, Raph." Raphael said reluctantly.

"I'm Michelangelo, but MOST people call me Mikey." Said the youngest turtle. He seemed a bit excited at the prospect of a new person.

"You look young, what are you doing wandering the streets of New York all by yourself?" Leo asked the girl curiously, and she laughed.

"Young? I'm thirteen! I'm just short..." she said, a little less stiffly now.

"Well, still. What are you doing wandering around alone? Aren't your parents worried about you?" Leo pressed, determined to get a straight answer. He was, however, surprised when this girl, Sarah, looked up at him fiercely.

"Of course they're worried! But I ran away from Japan, so what does it matter?" she said angrily, her frown coming back.

"Wait a minute, did you say you were from Japan? How the shell did you get to New York!?" Raphael cried, bewildered at the girl's claims. Japan was practically an island! It wouldn't be possible to walk, and was it legal to sell plane or boat tickets to a child? Maybe it was in Asia, but still...

"I took a plane. How else would I get here? Walk? I don't think so." she laughed again, but it was a harsh laugh. "I lied about my age and hopped on a plane, simple as that! And of course, those people that sell the tickets aren't exactly the brightest of people."

"But why would you want to come HERE? Of all the places, why here? And why at night?" Leo asked, beginning to feel honestly curious about Sarah. She looked into his face with her dazzling yellow eyes, which seemed to dance in place.

"I've always dreamed of coming to a place like New York, but Tokyo was too Japanese for me! I wanted to learn to speak English, and live in America, where life is more fair. And I'm here so late because I left for the airport right as I should have been going to school. That's why I'm still wearing my school uniform." she explained, motioning to her clothes.

"I faked going to school just so I could trick my parents. I feel so bad though, hurting them like this..." she continued sadly, and they felt a bit bad for the guilty girl, who looked so small and fragile.

"Well, do you have a place to stay? New York is awful at night." Leo asked, thinking about what was best for Sarah.

"No, I spent months planning my runaway, but didn't stop to think about what would happen when I got here!" she cried, shaking her head miserably. It was a sad sight, seeing her so upset and alone.

"Well, why don't you come with us? We don't live that far from here. Our dad might be willing enough to let you stay." Leo offered, which cheered Sarah up enormously.

"Could I? Oh, thank you!" she said, giggling.

"Now why did I see that coming Leo?" Mikey asked his brother lightheartedly, who shot him a warning look.

"C'mon, it's just a little bit this way." Leo continued, pointing to what seemed to Sarah like deeper into the maze of streets. Sarah started to feel a bit nervous. What had her parents told her about going with strangers? Oh yeah, now she remembered. In fact, her parents had shown her a graphic video of what happens to teenage girls who trust strangers. She hadn't slept for days after that, worrying that something bad might happen. Shortly, they got to a manhole, which Leo removed and jumped into the sewer. Sarah shook a little.

"T-the sewer?" she asked in a small voice. This wasn't right, how did she know that she could trust them? Oh yeah, she didn't.

"Of course, where else?" Mikey responded naturally.

"Umm, m-maybe a house?" she said, the horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach starting to spread throughout her body.

"Eh, not for us!" Rapheal snorted. Sarah took a deep breath and jumped in after Leo, and landed with a splash. Her parents would be furious with her if they found out what she was doing. Going into a sewer with complete strangers, acting on complete fantasy that she could trust these people. It was quite dark in the sewer. Dark and wet. Behind her, she heard three more splashes and the sound on metal sliding against asphalt. All of her previous bravery and happiness was gone as she waited for it to happen. She knew it would, it always did to others, why not her? The fear and panic coursing through her body was unbearable, she could barely walk. What she was waiting for was abuse beyond belief. She was awaiting the pain that would come, waiting for it all to go downhill. She was waiting for that horrible moment that would change her life. The thing she would have nightmares about for years to come. And yet it never came. The suspense was killing her, but it was all for nothing. Eventually, they came upon a door, which Leo opened. It swung open to reveil a perfectly furnished house. Sarah walked in breathlessly, still extremely nervous. She knew how to fight, she was the best fighter in her family. But what good would it do against four well-muscled turtles?

"Master Splinter! Come here!" Leo call out behind her, scaring her half to death. She spun around and stood in a fighting stance, ready to protect herself. Then what he had said registered, he was calling someone. She turned back around slowly, still ready to defend herself. Then an old, four foot tall, grey rat walked in, his eyes on Sarah. Sarah didn't know why, but she felt suddenly calm. For some strange reason, she knew this rat was someone she could trust. She relaxed a little bit, lowering her arms. This so-called Master Splinter walked over cautiously, studying Sarah closely. What he saw was a young girl in a school uniform with striking yellow eyes, ears on the top of her head, and a tail. She wasn't human, that was clear.

"Master Splinter, this is Sarah the Hedgehog. We saved her from this big man." Mikey offered, confirming Master Splinter's thoughts that she wasn't human.

"She, uh, ran away from her home, in Japan. She doesn't have anywhere to stay." Leo finished in a rushed voice.

"And you were going to ask if she could stay here." Splinter said knowingly to his son, smiling softly. "Yes, she may stay here." Poor girl, Master Splinter thought to himself, she looks terrified. The next thing he said was directly to Sarah.

"Do not worry Sarah, you'll be safe here. You may stay as long as you wish." he said kindly, and walked back out of the room. Once he was gone, the four turtles jumped on the couch and settled down. Sarah relaxed completely, and went to sit on a very comfortable chair.

"Gotta love Master Splinter!" Mikey exclaimed to nobody in particular.

"Mmm..." Sarah responded, drifting into a heavy sleep. How good the relief felt, and how silly she had been. But was it really that weird for her to feel that way? No, she didn't think so. With that, she fell asleep.

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**Ok! Now that that's over, on with whatever it is that comes after the chapter! First, translations! Here ya go:**

Atchi e ike to watashi wo hottoi te! (first speaking): Go away and leave me alone!

Okage de , watashi no seigyo ka ni i ta. (whispered speaking): Thanks, but I had it under control.

Watashi ni anata no te wo sashinoberu. (expectant speaking): Give me your hand.

**Well, that's all of the translations! Second, I'm sorry if I didn't get the personalities perfect, I only KNOW I got Sarah's right!**

**Third, I'll try to post a link to a pic of Sarah in her school uniform on my profile. But you'll probably have to copy and paste it in the search bar thingy! I think that's it, bye! Oh yeah, please review! NOW bye!  
**


	2. Pending Approval

**Hi guys! Here I am with chapter two! Sorry it took longer than I said it would, writers block happened! That and sledding, but that's a different story. Anyway, this chapter will be told in Sarah's point of view! Again, I'll translate the Japanese! Let's see, what else? Uhh...I think that's it! Enjoy!**

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I woke up the next morning to clattering and the smell of breakfast. ūn , okāsan no koto pankēki! I thought, shivering slightly. I was never what you would call an early riser. I still had my eyes shut as I stood up from my bed. I stretched my arms like I always did, it was what really woke me up. Shaking my head, I opened my eyes. nani ga jigoku, I thought, kore ga watashi no heya de wa nai! Then I remembered what happened last night and laughed quietly to myself. I remembered that I was suppose to be speaking and thinking in English now. My back was stiff from sleeping of a chair all night, so I stretched further and winced when I heard and felt a sharp crack. Ah, that's better, I sighed, walking to the source of the intoxicating aroma of food, which I had gone for a while without. Standing right outside the kitchen, I overheard Master Splinter talking with his sons.

"Very well then, but it's your responsibility to watch over her." he said quietly, so as not to wake me. His words infuriated me. Why was it that guys always thought that girls can't fight!? I stormed into the room and spoke directly to Master Splinter.

"Thanks for your concern, but I'm perfectly capable of defending myself." I fumed, unable to stand it. Much to my surprise, he smiled.

"Is that so? Would you care to demonstrate after breakfast?" he asked me softly, unfazed by my sudden temper. I smiled determinedly and nodded. I would show them what I could do. But first, FOOD! Leo was a better cook than my mom, and that was saying something! Or maybe it was just the fact that I was starving? Breakfast didn't seem to end fast enough, I was eager to prove myself. I was much stronger than I looked. Finally, we walking into a training room, which was larger than I imagined. I couldn't help but wonder what was expected of me. I wasn't worried, fighting was my specialty!

"Sarah, you shall fight with Donatello first." Master Splinter directed calmly, and I nodded. I pulled off my headband, then quickly and expertly replaced it. Then I stood in a fighting stance, and Master Splinter nodded. With that, Donny charged at me. I jumped out of the way, but then ran back in front of him. Quick as a flash, I ran behind him and brought my elbow down hard on his back...shell thing...which momentarily paralyzed him. It was time enough for me to slide my leg under his feet and knock him to the floor. I got down on my knees and place my arm around his neck in a headlock.

"Give?" I asked him, and he nodded. I got back up and offered him my hand, which he accepted. I looked over to the other turtles, challenge in my eyes.

"Who's next?" I asked Master Splinter, and he thought about it for a minute.

"Raphael." he said finally. Raphael walked up to me, returning the challenging look. From some other part of the room, I heard Mikey whisper 'Oh, this is gonna be good!'. I was ready for whatever he had to deal out. Almost too eagerly, Raphael ran at me like Donny had, but he mixed it up slightly. I jumped out of his way, but he turned around and threw a fist at me, which caught me square in the stomach. It threw me back a little ways, but I landed on my hands and flipped back onto my feet. He was standing several yards away, surprised to see I was up so fast. Then he ran at me again, and I was prepared and knew exactly what I was going to do. He was only a few feet away, but I stood planted firmly to the ground. As soon as he was within distance, I grabbed his wrist, spun around and flipped him over my shoulder. He landed hard on his back, and frowned.

"Ow." he said, and I laughed. I guess I won that one too, because he got back up and stormed off.

"Dare ga tafu na otoko wa rafaeruno?" I called after him in Japanese, still laughing. Then I turned to the others.

"Well, that was fun!" I said cheerfully, not letting them see through me. In reality, Raph had kinda hurt my stomach, but I could take it!

"Well, that's enough for now." Master Splinter said to me, dampening my joy. Then we walked back into the living room and sat down.

"Sarah, I am curious. How did you learn to fight like that?" Master Splinter asked me, and I laughed.

"Ugh, my parents got me a private instructor because we lived in the rougher parts of Japan. My instructor was one of the best, my parents made sure of that." I replied. "And I was forced to go to the lessons, so I had no choice but to end up so tough."

"Ah, so you didn't wish to go to the lessons? You didn't want to learn to fight." Master Splinter countered.

"At first that how it was, but I grew to enjoy them. Especially since I was always so energetic, it was a way to calm down and get rid of all my energy." I couldn't help but tell him these things, he looked so trusting already. Then I started talking to myself, something I did often. "I wonder how Mom and Dad will react if they ever find me. I know Dad won't care, he never does. But Mom?" I shook my head as Master Splinter watched me, somewhat entertained by my words. Or maybe it was the fact that I was talking to myself?

"But aren't you worried that you scared them by suddenly disappearing?" Master Splinter asked me softly. I had already thought about that.

"My dad would actually be happy that I'm gone. He doesn't exactly like me..." I had never told anyone that. "Mom will be upset, she's the only one that really liked me. I had friends, but they wouldn't really care. That's one of the real reasons I ran away. And my mom was always at work, so she was NEVER there for me." Tears were now forming in my eyes, but I made no attempt to wipe them away. "I grew up alone. My instructor was there, but she didn't provide the same comfort." I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes, resting my elbows against my knees. I looked down at my pink skirt and thought of something. If I was gonna stay in New York, I had to buy new clothes. I had traded all my yen for U.S. dollars before I left Japan, so I had plenty of money. I couldn't stay in the same school uniform all day everyday! I looked up and smiled slightly.

"Master Splinter?" I asked him sweetly.

"Yes?" he responded, looking back at me.

"Would you mind if I went out for a while, I need to get some clothes other than this school uniform." I said, and he smiled too.

"Yes, of course. But be careful." he permitted, and I jumped up.

"Thanks! I'll be back soon!" With that, I ran out of the room and back out in the sewer. It was brighter because it was noon, but it was still dark and shadowy. It reminded me of last night's suspense. I shook my head and ran on. Within two minutes, I had reached the same manhole we had used to get in. I was careful to cover the hole back when I was up. New York was even busier in the morning! After what I guessed was half an hour, I found a small shop that was on the not so busy side of New York. I walked into the tiny clothes store and was greeted by a friendly cashier. The whole store had a nice atmosphere. It was nicely lit, and it smelled of cedar! I browsed the many items of clothing before I ultimately decided on something. It was a royal blue dress exactly the color of my favorite headband, and it had a white hem. I tried it on, and the cashier said I looked beautiful. I even managed to find a few pairs of the same color boots, which had a white stripe down the middle. In Japan, I was use to wearing many different styles of clothes, but I wanted to cut myself off from Japan as much as possible. That's why I ONLY got a few pairs of the same dress, and the shoes. That and those were the only things that caught my eye! With one bag in hand, I headed back to the manhole. I jumped in and ran as fast as I could back to the house. I was eager to get out of my old school uniform. As soon as I got there, I ran into the bathroom. I didn't have a room, so the bathroom was the only place I could go. I quickly took off my school uniform and shoes, then jumped into the shower. Once I scrubbed myself clean, I dried off and pulled on the blue dress and shoes. With one final look at my appearance, I walked out of the bathroom and into the living room to the waiting turtles and Master Splinter. Speaking of Master Splinter, I noticed that he was the only one who's jaw DIDN'T drop. I giggled at the boys' faces, adding to my adorable image. Raphael wasn't in there yet, I saw. Leo was the first to snap back to attention. Then Donny, and finally Mikey.

"What do you think?" I asked, already knowing what Leo, Donny, and Mikey would say. The question was more directed to Master Splinter and Raph, who had just walked into the room. Master Splinter smiled and me.

"You look lovely Sarah." he said, and I beamed. Then I hesitantly looked at Raph. He looked as though he had calmed down enough.

"Nice." he said in what must have been a rare comment, because his brothers looked shocked. My smiled widened, and he chuckled.

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**There we go, take THAT writers block! HA! Anyway, now for the end stuff! First, translation! **

ūn , okāsan no koto pankēki (First thought): Mmm, Mom's making pancakes!

nani ga jigoku (Second thought): What the hell?

kore ga watashi no heya de wa nai (Third thought): This isn't my room!

Dare ga tafu na otoko wa rafaeruno (Calling to Raph): Who the tough guy now Raph?

**Mean isn't she? Yes...yes...And please review like before! Thanks, bye now!  
**


	3. Deep Breathing

**Hi! Back again. Ugh, I couldn't figure out how to start this chapter. Finally I decided on something that would describe MY personality! The first half, that's what I'm estimating, of the story, it's Sarah's POV. The rest is normal. And again, I'll do the translating at the end and blah blah blah! Umm, am I missing anything? Feh, that's good enough. Enjoy!**

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~Sarah's POV~

The rest of the afternoon crept by very slowly for me. After I got home and such, I settled down on the couch. Then I let my mind wander freely and think about things. Unfortunately, just as I was doing so, Mikey walked up to me.

"Hey Sarah, wanna play blah blah blah blah blah blah?" was all I heard. I had that glazed, distant look in my eyes, I was far off in another world.

"Sarah? Dudette?" Mikey persisted, trying to get my attention. He sighed and went in search on Donny, who was in his lab as always.

"Hey Donny, I think Sarah broke." I heard him say, and almost snapped back to attention. Almost.

"Come on Mikey, how could she break. Oh." Donny said when he saw me sitting there, the thousand yard stare plain on my face. "Maybe she IS broken..."

"Should we bring her back?" Mikey asked, but Donny shook his head.

"Nah, she looks like she's deep in thought. Besides, it might not be possible." he replied, laughing slightly. With that, they walked away, letting me be broken.

~5 hours later~

I snapped back to attention, and the first thing I noticed was how stiff I was. Very slowly, I got up and stretched my arms and cracked my back for the second time that day. I walked into the kitchen and saw that it was 7:36! I'd been sitting there all day! And my eyes were so dry, they felt frozen!

"Sarah! You're awake!" Master Splinter greeted me, walking into the room.

"Hehe, technically I was never asleep. I tend to zone out like that when I'm bored." I said sheepishly, blushing slightly.

"Well then, you should find something to occupy yourself." he replied, smiling at me. Just then, Leo, Raph, Donny, and Mikey came bounding into the kitchen. Well, Mikey was the only one that bound, but you know what I mean. They came into the room with us.

"Why don't you come with us for our watch over the city?" Leo asked me, having heard the end of the conversation.

"Oh! Well, I'm not sure-" I started, but Master Splinter cut me off.

"That sounds like a fine idea Leonardo." he said approvingly to his oldest son.

"So how 'bout it Sarah? Wanna come with us?" Leo asked, looking over at me. Eh, what the hell, I thought, might as well.

"Sure!" I said cheerfully, eyes now sparkling again.

"Awesome, let's go!" Mikey cheered a bit too enthusiastically. I'd never heard such an overjoyed voice. It startled me for a moment, but I shook it off.

"Yeah, let's go." I said, caught halfway between reality and fantasy. And soon we were walking through the dark sewers again, all deep in thought. When we were up on the surface, hidden by the shadows, I shivered slightly. Not from the cold, but from the anticipation to do something.

"We're going via rooftop, right? That's where you guys came from last night." I couldn't help asking.

"Yup. Can you do that?" Leo responded, looking at me doubtfully. I laughed and shook my head.

"Yeah, I can do that. Not as fast as you, but I can." I said. And with that, I jumped onto the fire escape of one building then ran up. When I was at the top of the fire escape, I jumped the rest of the distance to the top of the building.

"Come on guys, what are you waiting for?" I called down, and they smiled and followed up after me. Oh how wonderful it felt to have the wind blow through your hair! Er...quills in my case.

"Now what?" I asked, hopping from one foot to the other.

"Well, now we travel on the rooftops and look around to see if we can stop trouble!" Leo said simply, noticing my eagerness.

"Ah, a challenge. One I am willing to accept!" I said in a somewhat joking voice, "Like this?" then I jumped from my building over to another one in one leap.

"Yeah, like that!" Leo laughed, making me frown.

"What's so funny?" I asked furiously, I didn't see a joke in my action.

"Nothing, you just look so eager." he explained.

"Ooh...." I said, still not understanding. But I let it slide, it was time to get moving!

~Half an hour later~

"Ugh, slow night I see?" I groaned, bored out of my mind. Patience wasn't really my thing.

"Yeah." Mikey complained alongside me. Then we heard a muffled cry for help. My ears perked up and I followed the fading sound. Out on the sidewalk was a familiar situation. Large man, woman on the small side. _Wait a minute_, I thought, _that man_. My eyes widen with recognition. It was the same guy who attacked me last night. Rage flew through my veins as I jumped off the building, landing hard on the ground. I whistled sharply, catching the man's attention. He looked shocked.

"Hey, remember me?" I said, infuriated. He laughed and cracked his knuckled ominously. He let the woman go and started walking towards me. My hand shot out next to me, and my beloved hammer appeared in my hand. I swung it at him, which he very narrowly missed. I ground my teeth together and swung at him again, this time hitting him. He stumbled back a few steps and frowned. To my surprise, he turned and started to walk away.

"Oh no you _DON'T_" I cried, running after him. The turtles were still on the rooftop, stunned by my sheer determination. The woman was flattened up against the wall of the building I had jumped from, not able to believe her eyes. This time I threw my hammer, and it caught him square in the back, knocking him down. My hammer, no longer in my hand, disappeared. I walked to him and stood over him, my jaw and hands clenched with anger. Suddenly my face fell, and I backed up. _Deep breaths Sarah_, I told myself, _calm down_. I put both of my hands against a different building and rested my head against it. The woman that was standing a few feet away from me ran away, crying in spite of her age. The turtles took this opportunity to jump off the building next to mine.

"Sarah? Are you OK?" Leo asked me with concern.

"Yeah, your eyes look a little bloodshot." Donny said, a bit confused.

"Yeah...I'm fine." I strained to keep my voice steady.

"Are you sure?" Leo persisted, but I held up my hand.

"I said I'm _fine_ Leo, drop it." I said through my teeth. They dropped it. The rest of the time we spend on the rooftops flew by. My eyes still looked bloodshot, according to Donny, but I was under fairly good control. I shuddered as I remembered that man's sugary voice as he spoke to me last night. It disgusted me. But before I knew it, it was time to head back home.

~Normal POV~

They were all walking the long sewer walk back to the house, Sarah walking a little bit in from of the rest, her arms crossed. Mikey walked up to her.

"Hey Sarah, how are you feeling?" he asked, curiously yet a bit cautiously at the same time. Sarah turned her head away from him her quills hiding her face. She walked a bit faster, but so did Mikey. He didn't give up. Leo, Raph, and Donny watched in amusement as Mikey tried to talk to Sarah, who wasn't answering. With each word Mikey said, Sarah's head lowered. Finally, she snapped. Her left hand swung around in a powerful backfist that hit Mikey's chest and knocked him down. When she turned, they were surprised to see that her pupils were a bright red color, and her fur was turning a dark gray.

"Anata ga anata to watashi ni damasu koto ga dekiru to omoi masu anata no hanashi amai!?" she yelled in a voice that would make children cry. She stalked over to Mikey, picked him up by his arms, and threw him against the sewer wall.

"Anata ga dekiru to omoi masu watashi!?" she continued, walking towards Mikey again.

"Sarah!" Master Splinter's voice cut through the air like a knife, and Sarah's eye widened. They turned back to the yellow they were before. Her quills turned back to light blue and she fell to her knees, putting her head in her heads. Master Splinter walked over to Mikey, who was sitting up.

"Michelangelo, are you alright?" he asked his youngest son with concern.

"Yes Master Splinter. I'm fine" Mikey replied shakily, looking over to where Sarah was fearfully. But Sarah wasn't there. She had run back to the house. With the assistance of Leo and Raph, Mikey walked back with them. When they finally got back to the house, they found Sarah on the floor leaning against the couch. The only sound that filled the house was her muffled sobs. Master Splinter walked over to her slowly and put a hand on her small shoulder. Her ears perked up, but she didn't move otherwise. Master Splinter sighed softly and pulled gently on Sarah.

"Sarah, come with me child." he said gently in a voice Sarah couldn't disobey. She stood up, still looking down to hide her face. Together, they walked into Master Splinter's room, leaving the turtles behind.

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**There. That's chapter three. Lol, I had to do something with the rest of the day, so I had Sarah zone out. And for those who are wondering and haven't been told yet, yes I changed the title of the story from 'Walk the Distance' to 'Walk With Me'! It just seemed better that way. Now, first things first. Translations! Yay, understanding what the hell she said!**

**"**_**Anata ga anata to watashi ni damasu koto ga dekiru to omoi masu anata no hanashi ama" (BEFORE throwing Mikey) :**_** You think you can fool me with your sweet talk!?**

**"_Anata ga dekiru to omoi masu watashi!?_" (AFTER throwing Mikey hehe) : You think you can make me trust you!?**

**Eh, what else? I think that's it? Please review. Bye for now! **


	4. Spiritual Stone

**Mph, sorry for taking a while! Ugh, it feels like it's been weeks! But then again, time always go by faster when you least expect it! At least I got around to it eventually!. Anyway, there's only a little bit of Japanese in this one. Eh, this is kind of a short chapter...I was...er....busy...**

**Sarah: Busy with what exactly? You took too long for my taste. But now, they can have more of me!**

**Me:...Self-centered bitch...Anyway, here you go!**

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"What do you think they're saying?" Mikey couldn't help but be curious about what the shell had just happened. Wait. What DID just happen? One minute he had been standing, walking next to Sarah, and the next he was on the ground. Then a few seconds later he was on the ground several feet from where he had been before!

"Probably about what happened just now." Raph suggested sarcastically. Mikey frowned, but shrugged.

"Hey Mikey, maybe you pushed her too far with whatever you were talking about." Leo laughed, his eyes sparkling behind his mask.

"Yeah, wouldn't be the first time." Raph snickered.

"Hey! I stopped with the Battle Nexus Champion thing after a few...months..." Mikey's voice trailed.

"Well, you know it wasn't just the Battle Nexus, it's pretty much everything you're good at." Leo pointed out, making Mikey frown again.

"Great, now you're making me sound like some bragging jerk! Besides, that's not what I was talking to Sarah about." he responded.

"What WERE you talking to her about?" Leo asked curiously.

"I was talking to her about-" Mikey started to say, but then Master Splinter's door opened. They waited tensely for Sarah to walk in, but a few seconds later the door shut again.

"You were saying?" Raph pressed.

"I don't think I'm going to tell you! It was my conversation with Sarah, even if she did end it by backfisting me..." Mikey was suddenly downhearted.

"You like her, don't you?" Raph continued.

"Wha? Hey!" Mikey protested, pretty much giving himself away.

"I knew it! And soon, Sarah's gonna know it too." Raph teased, and Mikey's face fell.

"You wouldn't, would you?" he stammered.

"Of course I would, Battle Nexus Champion." Raphael was having so much fun. It was always fun to blackmail someone.

"Oh come on Raph, leave him alone. It's not his fault, she is kinda cute." Leo saved Mikey a load of trouble. Then they heard Master Splinter's door opening again, but the footsteps lead away from the living room. They all sat silently waiting and listening, and soon the footsteps returned. This time, there was only one set. Master Splinter walked into the room and looked at his sons, who were waiting for him to speak.

"Where's Sarah Master Splinter?" Leo asked, and Master Splinter smiled.

"I will show you." he said, and they all followed him to the dojo. There, Sarah was sitting cross-legged on the floor with a necklace string in her hand. Connected to the string was a bright pink stone, and Sarah was speaking softly to it.

"Jibun no senzo no seishin , watashi wa machiga~tsu ta koto wo shi te iru . Watashi wa , zengo ki te kudasai , watashi wo iyasu ga koware te i masu." she murmured to it over and over again.

"Master Splinter, why is she talking to a rock?" Mikey asked, slightly amused.

"It is a spiritual stone Michelangelo. She recieved it as a gift from her mother, who hoped it would comfort her and give her the company that she could not." Master Splinter replied. "But seeing as Sarah ran away, the necklace's gift purpose did not work. Sarah was still lonely." Sarah looked up and frowned; she had heard them.

"Maybe we should leave her alone." Leo suggested, and they all walked away. Now that Sarah was alone, she let her guard down. Tears formed in her eyes, and she looked down at her hands. She had told Master Splinter about her past, and how she inherited uncontrollable anger from her father. She had also told him about her beloved necklace, which was the only real reminder of home. And yet while it brought back the thoughts and feelings she wanted, it also brought back painful, unwanted memories. She smiled at the whispers that came out of the pink stone. Did she make the right choice coming to New York?

"Yes, I think so." she said out loud, and then curled up on the floor and fell into a deep sleep.

~The next morning~

Sarah was still asleep when the turtles and Master Splinter woke up the next day. She was still asleep when they were finished with breakfast. She was still asleep when they walked in and saw her curled up, her fingers wrapped around the string of her necklace.

"Leonardo, can you put Sarah in our spare bedroom?" Master Splinter asked, smiling slightly at the sight of the sleeping girl. Without hesitation, Leo picked Sarah up and walked out of the room. He went into the room they kept in cases that they might need an extra room and placed Sarah gently on the bed, as not to wake her. He looked back at her on his way out. She was kinda cute when she was sleeping. Yeah, he definately didn't blame Mikey for liking her.

* * *

**There we go, bu bei! Eh, good enough for me, how bout you? Now, on with the end stuff that I...don't really give a damn about but type down anyway so you can understand what the hell Sarah was saying...**

**Sarah: HEY!**

_**"****Jibun no senzo no seishin , watashi wa machiga~tsu ta koto wo shi te iru . Watashi wa , zengo ki te kudasai , watashi wo iyasu ga koware te i masu****."**_** (eh, only thing she says in Japanese in this chapter!): Spirits of my ancestors, I have done wrong. I am broken, please come forth and heal me.**

**Mph, please review!**

**Sarah: What's with the mph's?**

**Me:_ It's my noise. Now shut up. Bye now!  
**


	5. Breakthrough

**Oh, hello there! Uhhhhh.......Sarah, why don't you start this thing up, I can't think...**

**Sarah: And you finished your math how? Anyway, here's chapter 5! Unlike the other chapters, this chapter has no Japanese! So this lazy moron doesn't have to translate!**

**Me: Ugh, I'm too lazy to retort...  
**

**Sarah: See what happens when you spend too much time on the computer reading fanfics?**

**Me: Oh, but that's not the problem!**

**Sarah: Sure, now she comes back at me...Anyway, please enjoy my, I mean Sarah's, next chapter!**

**_______________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

Sarah's behavior was the same every day for the next month. She would get up, eat breakfast, train with the turtles, then disappear for the rest of the day. She stopped going on city patrol, she spent most of the day in her room. When the turtles and Master Splinter DID see her for the morning, her eyes had a glazed look, and she was very distant. She didn't talk at all. She did everything without much enthusiasm. Standing outside her room, which was the spare room, they could hear Sarah saying those same words she had said to her necklace before. Sarah had become a zombie of a girl, and now made the entire room distressed when she walked in. All the same, every day of every week for a month. But finally, a breakthrough. One particularly slow day was bothering Mikey. The seconds ticked by slowly, teasing him as he watched the clock. Once, he could even have sworn that the second hand was going backwards!

"Waiting for something Mikey?" Leo said with amusement from next to his youngest brother.

"Why does time have to go by so slowly!?" Mikey complained, still starring at the clock. He had nothing to do. For once in his life, he was bored in his own living room. Mikey being bored at home was an almost unheard of thing. Mikey stood up and started pacing, another first. He looked back frantically at the clock. '7:30' it read. Hadn't it said that for the past half hour!?

"Bah! There's nothing to do!" he said, flopping back onto the couch.

"Why don't you go out?" Donny suggested from the other room, having heard the conversation. Mikey ran into Donny's lab.

"Good idea. Will you go with me? You know Master Splinter doesn't want me going out alone. He's afraid I might do something reckless." Mikey begged, but Donny shook his head.

"Sorry Mikey, I'm busy." he grinned. "Why don't you ask Leo, or Raph." Mikey turned back to look at his other brothers, who looked at each other in horror. It was always tough watching over Mikey.

"Oh...um...we just remembered we have to....do something that doesn't involve you..." Raph and Leo said the first lame excuse that was on their minds. Mikey pouted, and his shoulders slumped over. Then, from the hallway, and almost unfamiliar voice spoke up.

"I'll go with him." Sarah said, finally talking for the first time in a month. The turtles look at her, a shocked expression on their faces.

"Uh...OK Sarah. Thanks?" Leo stuttered, surprised to hear her hoarse voice, not having heard it in so long. Sarah's sad yellow eyes shifted to Mikey, and her body stiffened to the point that she was shaking slightly.

"Are you alright Sarah? Donny asked, walking into the room. Sarah then looked to Donny, searching his face for something.

"Yeah...I'm fine..." she closed her eyes for a moment, then looked back to Mikey. "Let's go." Then she rolled her eyes and walked closer to Mikey, a bit hesitant. Making up her mind, she ran over, grabbed his and pulled him towards the door. The last thing they heard was Mikey say 'Tell Master Splinter where I am!' Once they were gone, Leo, Raph, and Donny continued to have that look of shock.

~With Mikey and Sarah~

"So, what's with the sudden change in behavior Sarah?" Mikey couldn't help but wonder. Sarah's expression darkened for a minute, but then she shrugged.

"Is there a problem with that?" she challenged.

"No, it's just you've been so..." Mikey hesitated, trying to find the right play of words.

"Gloomy? Depressed? Held back?" Sarah suggested, and Mikey nodded.

"I was just wondering, why today?" he finished, and Sarah thought about it for a minute. She turned to him, her eyes sparkling.

"Maybe I decided to get over it. Maybe I was tired of being so miserable all the time." she said, laughing slightly. It was a heavenly sound to Mikey now. It had been so long since Sarah had even noticed that there was life going on around her. Sarah sat down on the edge of a building and looked up at the darkening sky. Mikey smiled and sat next to her, also looking up. There was a long moment where the only noises were those of the city below.

"After I did...what I did...I didn't know if I'd be able to live with myself. I had only been in your house one day and I already screwed up..." Sarah said softly. Mikey glanced sideways at her, and she was looking down thoughtfully.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what DID happen?" Mikey cringed slightly, afraid she might snap. Sarah didn't notice.

"Well..." she said hesitantly. "I might as well go back and tell you the whole story. Warning, it might take a while."

"Don't worry, I've got time!" Mikey laughed, and Sarah smiled. Then plunged into her story.

"Hmm...Let's go back about fourty-four years, back to when my dad was born. He was born with red eyes, so my grandparents named him Ikari, which means anger in Japanese. About ten years into his life, Ikari killed both of his parents. It wasn't his fault though, he had anger issues to start with. So he was sent to a foster home. And of course, it wasn't the nicest of foster homes. Finally, someone adopted him. They knew about his condition, and treated him well. But that wasn't enough to fix him. He still had trouble. When he was fifteen, he met my mom. Her name is Akita, which is a type of Japanese dog. They fell in love blah, blah, blah, and whoosh to thirteen and a half years ago! When I was born, I also had red eyes. But unlike my dad, mine turned yellow after a few weeks. Unfortunately, I inherited my dad's problems. And now, whoosh two months ago! My dad was never the nice type of guy, seeing as he had anger issues. He mistreated me, but not my mom. Probably because she was gone all day every day. She's a doctor, I guess I understand. Finally, I decided I'd had enough, so I planned it all out about how I would run away. When my mom left for work, I got ready for school, told my dad I was leaving, and ran for it. I hopped on a plane and came here. Then whoosh, two days after that! I was still upset about various things, including 'Mr. Stays out and messes with people' dude. I guess you talking to me added that tiny bit that it took for me to snap. Fortunately for you, Master Splinter cut in before I could you more than bruise you." Sarah took a deep breath and looked at Mikey. He looked a bit shocked. Sarah shook her head and looked back up to the starless sky. _At least I can see the moon_, she thought. She lifted up her hand, closed one eye, and started pinching the air.

"What are you doing?" Mikey asked, and Sarah laughed.

"I'm crushing the moon with my fingers." she responded, and Mikey started doing the same.

"Listen Mikey, I'm really sorry about freaking out on you." Sarah said, not taking her eye off the moon.

"Now I understand though, you needed more space than I gave you." Mikey replied, also staring at the moon. But then he felt something touching him and looked down. Sarah had scooted closer and wrapped her arms around him. He blushed slightly.

"No, I'm REALLY sorry..." she whispered. Then her ears perked up and she pulled away.

"Did you hear that?" she asked, standing up. She walked over to the other side of the building. Mikey stood up and followed her.

"No, what is it? he asked, but she was already starting to descend from the height of the building. Once again, Mikey followed her to see where she was going. She let go of her hold on the wall and jumped the rest of the way down, landing hard on her feet.

"It sounded like crying. Like a small child..." Sarah said, finally responding. Sarah and Mikey followed the very faint sound to a shadowy dead end, where a small girl was on the ground. Sarah ran over to her and knelt down, and the little girl looked up. They couldn't see her very well...

"Who are you?" she asked looking up. They could only see her eyes because they were glowing in the moonlight. They were pink.

* * *

**OK! Now that I'm feeling better, I can announce rather than Sarah. BTW Sarah, since when are you emo!?**

**Sarah: HEY! It was your idea!**

**Me: Sure it was. Anyway, since there was no Japanese except the names of Sarah's parents, there's no need for a translation!**

**Sarah: You just couldn't resist could you?**

**Me: Resist what?**

**Sarah: Putting in-MPH!**

**Me: Don't tell anyone, or no more chocolate for you!**

**Sarah: AH! Anyway...please review and tell us what you think. Encourage me to be a good girl so I don't have to give up chocolate...wah...  
**


	6. Sweet Like Candy

**Awesome! My document loader wasn't working for a while, but I got it. Anywho, there's no Japanese is this chapter. But, there is the introduction of the girl in the last chapter! Just another one of my characters that I made up out of sheer boredom. Anyway, let's get this chapter rolling!**

* * *

"It's OK, we're not going to hurt you." Mikey heard Sarah say in a soothing voice. Then there was a clang and footsteps, so Sarah must have lifted the girl onto the fire escape and climbed onto the building next to them. Mikey followed once more. When they were up there, they could finally see the girl. And she was...a bunny? Yes, a yellow rabbit with half blue ears which had teal on the inside. Around her eyes was orange. There was a chocolate brown triangle on the top of her head. She was wearing a green dress, brown and lime green gloves, light green socks, and purple shoes. Her ears were held back by purple bands with pink gumball-like balls on it. She was also speckled in blood, but there were no cuts on her.

"What happened to you?" Sarah asked with alarm, examining the girl, who looked terribly shaken.

"Nothing happened to me..." she responded, tears building up in her eyes.

"Why is there blood on you then?" Sarah whispered.

"It's from my chao, Daddy killed him!" she wailed, startling Sarah.

"Your chao? Come here." Sarah said gently, holding out her arms. The little rabbit trustingly hugged Sarah.

"My name is Candy, Candy Rabbit." her small voice said from Sarah's arms. "Please help me..." Sarah looked up at Mikey.

"OK, come with us. We'll get you fixed up." Sarah said, refering to the blood. Candy stood up with Sarah.

"Thank you." she whispered, and Sarah lifted her back up.

"Hold on tight, we're gonna jump back down to the ground." Sarah warned, and Candy's grip tightened. Once they were all back on the ground, Sarah started to walk back home. Mikey grinned and followed. Within no time, they were at the sewer entrance, and Sarah set Candy down so she could remove the metal disc leading down into the sewer.

"The sewer? Not a house?" Candy said from behind Sarah.

"I remember saying the same thing when I came here." Sarah laughed.

"Yeah, and look at you now." Mikey said, and Sarah laughed harder.

"Right, let's go." Sarah picked Candy back up and jumped down the hole, Mikey once again following. On the way there, Sarah and Mikey introduced themselves. Sarah's quick strides led them to home faster, and Mikey opened the door since Sarah couldn't. Sarah set Candy down carefully, and Candy looked around.

"Mikey, we told Master Splinter where you were and he-" Leo stopped short, looking at the girl standing next to Sarah.

"Leo, this is Candy. We found her not too far from here." Sarah explained, putting an arm around Candy.

"Is she hurt?" Leo asked, alarmed at the blood.

"Not her blood." Sarah shook her head.

"Actually, I lied. Some of it's mine..." Candy confessed. She took her hand and wiped some of the blood off her cheek, revealing a two inch long cut.

"How did THAT happen!?" Sarah exclaimed, kneeling back down.

"My dad did it." Candy whispered, afraid. There were two things she had been taught. Number one: Don't lie. Number two: Don't tell on Daddy.

"I know how you feel kid." Sarah said in a voice even lower than Candy's, one barely audible. But Candy's large ears caught it.

"Why Sarah, what did your daddy do to you?" she asked, looking at Sarah with wide eyes.

"Bad things Candy, bad things. I ran away just like you." Sarah responded so only Candy could hear. For one moment, there was a feeling of understanding between Candy and Sarah. But Sarah sensed it and shook her head.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." she said, standing back up and leading Candy into the kitchen. She silently worked on cleaning the blood off Candy's fur, then concentrated on the long cut on her face.

"This might sting a bit Candy." Sarah warned, but Candy didn't even flinch. Sarah imagined that whatever happened to cause the cut must have hurt more than the anti-infection cream did. Candy watched intently as Sarah's hands moved around. _Poor girl_, Sarah thought, _she looks so delicate..._Someone must have told Master Splinter about Candy, because he walked into the room and smiled.

"So this is our guest?" he asked, looking into Candy's pink eyes. Just like Sarah when she came here, Candy was calmed by Master Splinter's presence.

"There we go, all better." Sarah said, her own yellow eyes looking over Candy once more.

"Candy, what happened?" Master Splinter said gently, and Candy responded.

~Flashback~

_There was the slam of a car door outside of Candy's window, and she shivered. Daddy was back from the bar, and Candy knew there was going to be trouble. Candy and her pink chao Cane sat silently, waiting for him to call. There was stumbling and the sound of things falling down. Then Candy heard some cursing, and Cane covered her eyes. Candy pet Cane soothingly, the horrible feeling in her stomach growing._

_"Candy!" her dad finally called for her, and she knew it would be best to go to him. She lifted Cane up and ran down the stairs to meet her drunk father._

_"Yes Daddy?" she asked nervously._

_"What were you doing up there?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously._

_"I was just playing with Cane." Candy replied, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice._

_"That's all?" he said, and Candy nodded rapidly._

_"Yes, that's it. Where's Mommy?" she asked, worried. Her mom hadn't been home all day. At least not since Daddy left..._

_"Gone. She's dead." Candy's father said harshly, not caring that he had just killed his own wife not half an hour ago._

_"W-what?!" Candy shrieked, and Cane squeaked. Candy's dad frowned, and grabbed Cane._

_"Daddy! What are you doing!?" Candy started to cry._

_"Chao, CHAO!" Cane screeched, struggling against his grip._

_"I'm getting pretty sick of this floating rat!" he yelled, then brought his knee up hard to Cane's neck. Candy heard a loud snapping, and Cane fell limp._

_"Cane! NO!" Candy wailed, and her father threw Cane's body back to Candy. She fell on her knees and cried, but she was lifted up by her shoulders._

_"That parasite deserved worse than what I gave it!" her dad screamed at her, slapping her face. Candy brought her free hand up to her cheek and felt the warmth of blood running down her face. Candy's expression fell blank for a moment, then she kicked away from her dad, dropped Cane's body and ran out the open door. Once out there, she flapped her large blue and yellow ears and flew off into the night. Once she couldn't fly anymore, she lowered down to the ground and put her head in hands and cried._

~End Flashback~

"And then you guys found me and brought me here." Candy finished, and looked up at Sarah, Master Splinter, Mikey, and Mikey's three brothers who had walked into the room. Even Master Splinter's normally calm expression was full of shock. Candy then looked back down at her knees. _If Daddy ever finds me, he's not gonna be happy_, she thought, _he might give me what he thought Cane deserved..._ Candy had broken both of the rules in one night. The punishment she would receive would be fierce. Her vision went blurry, and she was oblivious to the surrounding atmosphere. But as soon as she was about to tune out the rest of the world completely, Sarah brought her back.

"Come on Candy, you must be tired." she said, holding out her hands. Candy took them and let Sarah lead her to a room with a bed. Grateful, Candy crawled under the warm covers and leaned against the pillows.

* * *

**There we go, nice and done chapter! I know, I know short flashback. But Candy's father was drunk (like always) and stuff like that. Now about Candy. I don't think I have her complete profile up yet, so I'll tell you a bit about her. She's only about 9 years old. Um, well you already know her appearance, she doesn't have any powers other than the ability to fly (confusing yes). I wanted to add her into at least one of my stories, and I figured she worked her way in nicely. So, review and tell me what you think and I'll have the next chapter up soon!  
**


	7. Song of Rest and Senses I Tell

**Hi all! Thanks for reading this far! Now, in this chapter, despite the fact that it's Japanese, I can't really translate it for you.**

**Sarah: You want me to do WHAT!?**

**Me: Don't get your emotions in a bunch, and don't tell the readers what happens before they get to read it! Anyway, please enjoy this chapter, which you should if you've come this far...So, yeah...  
**

* * *

"Sarah, I can't sleep. What if Daddy finds me? He might have been watching us and followed us here!" Candy cried, but Sarah smiled.

"Don't worry Candy, there's no way he could find you. Besides, I wouldn't let him hurt you." she replied soothingly.

"Are you sure? You're sure there's no way?" Candy said hesitantly, and Sarah nodded.

"I'm one hundred percent positive he can't find you. Now try and get some sleep." she said, pulling the covers completely over Candy.

"But I really can't sleep. My mom says it called insomnia. She always sings me to sleep." Candy said, looking up at Sarah.

"Really? Ok then." Sarah smiled and sat down on the bed next to Candy.

"Watashitachi no sekai wa, mahou wo kakerarete. Ai suru to kime kisae, namida ni ujirareteru." she began to sing in Japanese, and Candy smiled. "Boy futari de jumon wo sagashi ni ikou, kinjirare ta yume wo kanaerareru kuni he." She stood up and staightened out the blanket, all the while singing. " Dare ni mo naisho de, ashita na tchi awaseshiyou." Candy's eyelids were beginning to drop, and Sarah kept singing to the little girl. "Itsuka kotori wo ume ta, yowake no mieru oka de, tsumetai asamoya, kimi to te wo tsunaidara." Sarah got down on her knees and put her arms against the bed. "Hikaru michi no fuuin ga tokeru yo." She leaned over to whisper the last word in Candy's ear. "Hateshinaku."

Satisfied that Candy was asleep, she got up and walked out of the room, turning the light off behind her. When she walked back into the kitchen, everyone else looked tired, and Sarah smiled. That song was the one that put Sarah to sleep all the time. Her mom would sing it to her when she was a little girl, and one day she had begged to learn it. It had been hard, but she finally managed to learn to sing the song. Now she didn't need her mom to sing for her except when she needed help falling asleep. Her mom called it the song of dreams because it put most people to sleep unless they were the one singing.

"Don't tell me you guys are tired too?" Sarah laughed.

"What kind of song is that?" Leo protested against the unbearable urge to curl up in a fetal position on the floor. By the looks of it, the others were too.

"Sorry, it was the only way to get Candy to sleep." she apologized, then looked at the clock. It was 9:37.

"What about you Sarah? You aren't tired at all?" Donny asked, still trying to shake off his sleepiness.

"Nope, I was the one singing it." Sarah said, shaking her head.

"That's one interesting song..." Raph mumbled, resting his head against the counter.

"Maybe you guys should go to sleep? BEFORE you fall and hurt yourselves?" Sarah suggested, and they groaned their agreement. Slowly, they made their way to their rooms and collapsed in their beds. _They won't wake up for a while_, Sarah thought. Looking around, she saw that Master Splinter had stayed. He looked the least affected by the song.

"I take it you're feeling better, Sarah?" he asked, and Sarah smiled.

"Yup, all better!" she said, nodding. "It's amazing what a little time away from your house can do." she added in a lower tone of voice.

"Does Candy's story sound familiar to you? She ran away because of her father, then she was brought here?" Master Splinter mused, and Sarah's smile changed to a frown. She HAD thought about that. Then decided it was just a coincidence. For one brief moment, she thought about her friends back in Japan and how they must miss her by now. But she couldn't go back, not now. That would be giving up, and Sarah the Hedgehog never gave up on something like that. Never...

~The next day~

Sarah's POV:

I hadn't slept well last night on the couch. I ended up just finally waking up for good at about 5 in the morning. I knew the boys wouldn't be up for another hour or so, so I wandered around. First I checked on Candy, who was sleeping soundly in my bed. _That's cute_, I thought. I tiptoed over to the desk next to the bed and grabbed my necklace off of it. Once safely out of Candy's hearing range, I put on the necklace, playing with the gem. Knowing nobody was around, I let my mind wander. I first though about Candy, and how her story was so much like mine. There were a few differences, but they were very similar in structure. Girl runs away from abusive father and ends up in the sewer with four turtles and a rat. Then I thought about what went on BEFORE Mikey and I had found Candy. I had to wonder what would have happened if I hadn't heard Candy crying. _Let's see_, I thought, _there was a full moon, and Mikey and I were side by side._ I laughed a little at the thought, knowing it was silly of me to think like that. I was still standing leaning against the wall when Master Splinter woke up, about half an hour before his sons. He didn't look surprised to see me wide-awake. Now that he was awake, there were a few more possibilities for things to do. While pondering this, I walked around aimlessly. Time often goes by faster when you least expect it, and by the time I gave up in thinking, the turtles had woken up and were making breakfast. I ran into my room and gently tried to wake Candy up. Finally, her eyes opened up and she looked at me.

"Time to wake up already?" she said sleepily, and I smiled.

"Yup, breakfast time." I said, and lead her back into the kitchen. I wasn't very hungry, but I ate anyway. I didn't want Master Splinter or the others getting up on my case about me acting weird again. I must have looked dull and listless to them, because they exchanged worried glances. I was just deep in thought. I was still in thought when it was time to go and train with them. I finally snapped back to attention and we were ready for an all out sparring match. Since I hadn't done much over the month when I was depressed, I hadn't gotten around to fighting Mikey and Leo. Master Splinter decided that now was a good time. Of course I took Mikey down easily, but Leo I knew would provide more of a challenge. But I wasn't worried.

"Come on Leo, I could beat you with my eyes closed!" I taunted, and Master Splinter looked at me.

"Really? Care to prove that?" he asked, and I shrugged.

"Sure, why not?" I said, then I found a blindfold and covered my eyes.

"You ready Sarah?" Master Splinter called over to me, and I smiled and nodded.

"Bring it on Leo!" I said confidently. Leo, who knew that sight was a strong point, ran straight to me and threw a kick. I jumped out of the way, and put out a kick of my own. Leo was caught by surprise and it hit him in the side. I kicked away from him and landed several feet away. I put out my hand and gestured for him to bring it. My ears twitched as I waited for him to move. He snuck quietly to the other side of me, and I grinned. I decided to play along, but when he attempted to hit me again, and dodged it once more. I put one hand on his shoulder, the other grabbed his wrist. In one quick motion, my leg tripped him as I had done with Donny before. Once he was on the ground, I knelt down next to him.

"I told you so." I whispered to him. He tried one last time to get me, but I jumped out of the way and smirked. The blindfold still on, I walked over and offered him my hand. My hands whipped around to untie the knot in my makeshift blindfold.

"See? I told you I could beat you!" I laughed triumphantly.

"Yeah Leo, looks like you're getting slow!" Mikey said, laughing with me. Once we were back in the living room, Leo finally asked me what I was expecting.

"How did you do that?" he wondered, and I smiled at him.

"I knew you would ask that." I said, then began to explain. "Well, my line of family has a generally bad sense of sight. Our sight is only half that of a human's sight. Since we don't see all that well, our hearing and sense of smell are twice that of a human. So, since we can't see very well at all, two of our other senses make up for it and then some!"

"Ah, I see." Leo replied. I smiled again and leaned back against the back of the couch and relaxed. Then something popped into my head randomly.

"Donny, what month is it?" I called to Donny, who wasn't in the room.

"October, why?" he called back, and I frowned.

"Next month is my birthday." I whispered to myself, ignoring everyone around me. That is, until a voice broke my train of thought.

"Really Sarah?" Leo asked, and I nodded.

"My birthday was this month." Candy said, and that made me laugh. I just realized something.

"Hey, if I was born in November, and Candy was born in October, that means our birthstones match our eye color!" I said, and the turtles look from me to Candy, me to Candy, me to Candy. I rested my head on my hand and smiled. It was nice to have people my age to talk to. _But how long will this last_, I thought.

* * *

**There we go, now with the junk that I do after the chapter. The song is actually called 'The Shining Road' and I thought it sounded peaceful and somewhat like a lullaby! So, if you want to look it up to see what it sounds like or whatever, there's the name. Ah, it's nice that my document loader is working again! Anyway, please review, tell me what you think!**


	8. Crazy Solution

**Hi there. Ugh, I'm sick again. I am SO disease-prone! Fortunately, I can still move my fingers. Like I said in the last chapter, if you made it this far, you must like my story! Now, let's see how insane I can make Sarah! But she won't like that, will she?  
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For a few weeks, Sarah was like a mother to Candy. Every night she would sing the little girl to sleep, then go to sleep on the couch herself. But after a few days, she started to sleep on her bed curled up next to Candy. Sarah got more sleep on a real bed, and it affected to mood. She was more cheerful when she slept on a bed, because she got more sleep. But if she somehow managed to fall asleep on the couch, she was cranky and was short with everyone. Candy, on the other hand, was always cheerful and helpful around the house. She didn't seem to be affected much by Sarah's constantly changing mood. But after about three weeks, where Sarah slept didn't matter. Sarah was slipping back into the depressed stage she was in before. Only this time, she acted like something was ripping her heart out. The look in her eyes was more than agony. It was a half-crazed look, one that scared everyone else in the house. They thought she had finally lost her mind, and her behavior didn't help her case. She spent most of her day pacing and muttering under her breath in Japanese. Her eyes twitched occasionally, and she just stopped caring. She looked like she was living with the guilt of murdering someone, and it was driving her crazy.

"What are we going to do about Sarah?" Candy whispered one day, three days before Sarah's birthday. Sarah was at the point where Candy was afraid to sleep in the same bed, or even be in the same room as Sarah. The turtles didn't blame her, even they were a bit frightened by Sarah's behavior.

"I don't know. I'm not a psychiatrist..." Donny said sadly.

"We don't even know what's wrong with her." Leo pointed out.

"I do. She misses her mom. She said that since things affect her differently, her sadness is greater. She hates herself for leaving Japan. She wishes she could undo it and go back with her family. But she knows she can't do that..." Candy explained.

"How do you know that?" Leo asked, and Candy frowned.

"Back when she would sing to me, she sometimes would talk to me too. She would tell me when and why she was sad, or angry." Candy whispered.

"Well, what brought that on? Where did that come from? Do you know that one?" Donny questioned.

"It was probably because we were talking about her birthday the day after I came here. She remembered that this would be her first birthday without her parents. That's just what I would figure." Candy thought out loud, surprising the turtles. They didn't know she was capable of thinking in Sarah's mind. It was obvious she cared deeply about Sarah, and wanted her to go back to normal.

"Hey, we should be heading out. It's 9:30 already." Leo said, and Candy face fell.

"And I have to stay here, don't I?" she said miserably.

"Unfortunately, yes. But stay with Master Splinter. He's probably the only one that can stop a charging Sarah." Leo advised, and Candy nodded. Her pink eyes darted over to Sarah, who was still pacing and speaking in Japanese. Slowly, she inched over to Master Splinter's room. Sarah's head whipped around to watch Candy's every move. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked like she hadn't slept in weeks. Candy ran out of the room with tears in her eyes, and Sarah went back to pacing. It was painful to watch, so the turtles walked out into the sewer.

"What ARE we going to do with Sarah?" Leo wondered.

"I don't know anymore. It was one thing when she was acting depressed before. Then at least she wasn't scaring us when we walk by." Donny said mournfully.

And it's starting to effect everyone else too." Raph pointed out.

"Yeah, did you see Candy's face when she ran out? She looked terrified!" Mikey exclaimed.

"I'd be scared too. Scratch that, I AM scared of her now!" Donny admitted. They had been walking, and they reached the streets of New York in no time. Why was it that whenever they needed to take their mind off something, the streets weren't full of evil? They settled themselves with chatting on the rooftops, still jumping around in case something went wrong in the city below.

"Huh, look. A new moon." Donny said, pointing.

"Wait, what?" Mikey said, "I thought you couldn't see a new moon!" But Leo shook his head and laughed.

"Well Mikey, if you look on the ground, you'll see what he means!" Leo said, and Mikey looked at the ground. Low and behold there was a copy of New Moon, second book in the Twilight series.

"If it were me that said that, I would have been hit, right?" Mikey asked, and his brothers nodded. Then a sound caught their attention.

"Where could she be?" a small voice asked from the streets below them. The turtles looked down off their building and a woman was wandering around, her head in her hands. They jumped off the building and walked up to the woman, who turned and looked back at them. It was clear to them at once who she was. Her "hair" was long and purple, her eyes were yellow like Sarah's, and she was a hedgehog. Standing in front of them was Sarah the Hedgehog's mother, Akita.

"You wouldn't by any chance be looking for a Sarah the Hedgehog, would you?" Leo asked, smiling.

"Yes! Have you seen her? Is she OK?" the older hedgehog asked frantically.

"Uh, that depends on what you mean by ok..." Donny said sadly, bringing back Sarah's problem.

"W-what do you mean!?" Sarah's mom, Akita, asked them. They looked at each other, then back at her.

"Well, she sort of lives with us, and she's been acting weird." Leo began, but Raph cut in.

"Weird!? She's been acting like a mental patient!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, thank you Raphael." Leo snapped, and continued to speak to Akita. "She HAS been acting a bit crazy. All she does all day is pace and speak Japanese under her breath. We can't walk into the same room as her without her scaring us with that insane look. Like she's going to try to kill us in our sleep or something."

"Oh no..." Akita whispered. She put her head back into her hands. Then she broke down. "This is all my fault! If I had just spent more time with her instead of giving her that STUPID rock! It's my fault she's like that!" she cried, sinking to her knees. Leo got down on his knees next to her.

"It's not your fault." he said softly, comforting her. She looked up at him and shook her head.

"But how could I let her go?" she wondered quietly. "Do you think I could see her?"

"Of course, she's your daughter!" Leo said, standing up. Akita stood up too and smiled softly.

"Well then, let us be off!" she said in a joking tone. The turtles led Akita quickly to their house, knowing it would be best to get there as quickly as possible. Unlike Sarah and Candy, Akita didn't object to the fact that her daughter was living in a sewer. She just wanted to see Sarah again. She was, however, surprised to see such a well furnished house in the sewers.

"I'll find Sarah." Donny volunteered, and went off to find Sarah. First, he checked in the kitchen where she had been before. She wasn't there, so he went to her room. No Sarah. But there was a small note on her bed. Curious, he picked it up and read it. Then a feeling of dread washed over him. As quickly as he could, he ran back into the living room.

"Don, where's Sarah?" Leo asked, concerned at his brother's behavior.

"Look, I found this in her room." Donny replied, handing the note to his older brother. Leo read it, and looked back up.

"Where is she? Where is Sarah?" Akita demanded.

"She ran away." Leo said, and Akita grabbed the note.

"She...she's going back to...JAPAN!?" Akita cried, and Master Splinter and Candy ran into the room.

"You're Sarah mom, aren't you?" Candy said, stating more than asking.

"Yes, but she ran away..." Akita mourned, the looked up with a look of determination. "We're looking for her right now!"

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**^^ I'm on a roll! But no butter...Hehe...So, there's my chapter, yeah kinda fast-forwardish Um...since there was no Japanese, there's no need for translation, right? Hey Sarah, since when are you a psycho maniac? Sarah: :( You should have been halfway out of the county by the time I had the chance to react. Me: AH! Anyway, please review BEFORE Sarah decides to kill me! BTW what Sarah said just now was a referance to something my mom said. I was pretending to spill something on her material for a pet bed and she said 'If you did that, you'd better be halfway out of the county before it even touches my material!' Hehe, she's funny...  
**


	9. Reunion

**Grah! Writer's block! That and a forum, but that's another story. Anyway! Again, there's no Japanese in this chapter! At least I finally managed to update! I was busy chatting and listening to music. And worrying about my mother, who's in the hospital getting X-rays. Anyway, please enjoy this chapter!**

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"We have to go after her!" Akita said frantically, just what you would expect a mother to act like if her daughter was missing.

"Right, let's go!" Candy said in the same voice as Akita.

"OK OK, calm down." Leo said, trying to get through to the two girls. "Let's see, she said she's going back to Japan, so we just have to search from here to the border and hope we get to her in time." Akita and Candy nodded rapidly, anxious to get going to find Sarah.

"Master Splinter, are you coming with us?" Donny asked, looking at Master Splinter.

"Yes my son." he responded, also looking a bit nervous. Akita was already heading for the door by the time the others were even turned around. They followed her quickly through the sewers and eventually surfaced somewhere in the streets.

"OK, I say we split up." Leo said, and the others nodded.

"Candy, you come with me." Akita said, taking Candy's hand and heading off at a fast but steady pace. Leo and Raph went the same direction only to the left slightly. Master Splinter, Donny, and Mikey, went to the right of Akita. They knew Sarah would head right to the right edge of the country to get to Japan then hop on a plane, which was similar to how she got to New York in the first place.

~Akita and Candy~

"Do you think we'll find her in time Akita?" Candy whispered.

"Yes, I do!" Akita said miserably, still leading Candy.

"Why would she run away?" Candy wondered to herself.

~Normal POV~

And so they all started off searching the city from top to bottom. They swept the whole city within an hour, but didn't find Sarah. They left New York City and began to search the rest of the state, then it started to rain. Akita was a nervous mess by the time the turtles met up with her and Candy a few hours later.

"Any luck?" Leo asked, but Akita shook her head, her long purple quills swinging. She looked down at the muddy ground and closed her eyes. Where could she be, she thought. She opened her eyes to stare at her shoes when something caught her attention. She knelt down to get a closer look. Either it was her imagination showing her what she wanted to see or there was a shoe print in the dirt. Nobody would be in this part of the state at this time in this weather. Now if only she could get a confirmation that it was what she thought. Leo knelt down too, seeing the same exact thing. Akita stood up, still looking down, and followed the barely visible prints at as quick a pace as she could. Unfortunately her eyesight wasn't good, but the turtles were now following the prints too.

"Leo, you are following the same thing I am, right? The shoe prints?" Akita said softly, and Leo nodded, not taking his eyes off the ground. Candy was clinging to Akita's side as they walked through the rain. Akita put a gently hand on Candy's shoulder. Candy reminded her so much of Sarah a few years ago. Sadness washed over Akita again, and a few tears escaped her eyes. _How could I be so stupid_, she thought miserably, _how could I let this happen?_

"When are we going to find Sarah?" Candy whispered from beside Akita, and she looked down. Candy's face was full of concern and sadness.

"I don't know Candy..." Akita said quietly. Then added to herself in her mind "But I'll give up anything to find her again." Akita wasn't sure how long they had been walking, but at some point Leo said "Look, over there." and Akita's head snapped up. It was hard for Akita to see, especially now. But she strained to focus on what was ahead. She, very dimly, saw a small walking figure about fifty feet from them. Her eyes widened, but by the time she finally realized it was Sarah, Mikey had already started to run over to her to stand in front of her daughter. Akita started to move faster, but Leo stopped her.

"Wait Akita." he said, and Akita looked up slightly to look at him.

"Why?" she asked, slightly mad at being stopped from going to Sarah.

"Let Mikey talk to her first, to see if he can get through to her." Leo responded, his eyes not leaving Sarah.

~With Sarah and Mikey~

"Sarah!" Mikey said, running up to the girl, who didn't turn. "Sarah, what are you doing?" Sarah looked up at him, but didn't speak.

"Sarah, you can't run away!" he tried to reason with her, but she ignored him and kept walking. He sped up and walked in front of her, walking backwards so he could watch her. She frown and looked down at the ground.

"I can if I want to Mikey." she hissed, and Mikey's expression darkened for a minute. Then he stopped walking and put his hands on Sarah's shoulders to stop her. She looked back up at him, a look of pure annoyance plain on her face.

"No, you CAN'T Sarah." he frowned, and Sarah ground her teeth together.

"Oh yeah? And why is that?" she growled at him, and he smiled.

"Look behind you." he said, and Sarah turned hesitantly. Her eyes widened. Was the rain playing tricks on her? She blinked three times. Nope, still there. What was she doing? Was she running away when her eyes told her that her own mother was standing not fifty feet away. She was stunned. She just stood there, and Akita started to run over.

"M-mom?" Sarah whispered, starring wide-eyed at the purple hedgehog that was running as fast as she could. The second Akita got over to Sarah, she wrapped her arms around the smaller hedgehog and spin around. Mikey laughed and backed up as to not get hit.

"Don't you ever do that to me again Sarah the Hedgehog! Don't you leave me again!" Akita literally cried, squeezing Sarah tightly. Sarah had snapped out of it and put her own arms around her mother. Sarah burst into tears and fell to her knees, bringing Akita down with her.

"I have no need to now Mom, I promise!" she wailed, hugging Akita harder. Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah saw the turtles, Candy, and Master Splinter walk over. She was reminded of how she had been acting over the past week. But that was then, and this was now.

"I was afraid, I thought I would never see you again! I didn't know where you went. But then I remembered. I remembered how much you had wanted to come to New York." Akita went on, not letting Sarah go.

"I was going to go back to Japan, just to see you again. I didn't want to think about how I left, but it finally got through to me." Sarah said, letting herself be squeezed.

"If your friends hadn't found me, I would never have been able to find you. If I never saw you again, I don't know what I would have done!" Akita cried, and Sarah looked up and smiled. Then her eyes shifted down to her mom, and she smiled wider.

"Can we go back Mom? It's raining and I'm cold." she said softly, and her mom looked at her gently.

"Of course, as long as you don't mean back to Japan..." Akita whispered. Sarah knew what was wrong, she had left for the same reason, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get to the place she called home. They stood up together and, with the others, began the long walk back to the sewers.

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**There we go! I FINALLY managed to get it done and get it on! My life is VERY distracting! Anyway, review. Tell me what you thought. Tell me if you like it. Let's hope my mom will be OK! But I'm sure she's going to be fine and she'll come back tonight...I hope. So...yeah. Tell me what you thought of this chapter...**


	10. With Great Anger, Comes Great Regret

**Hehe, I finally got around to finishing this chapter! Aaand it happens to be the longest chapter I've made in my life! :D**

**Right, I've been really busy with other things, and writer's block was getting to me. The only Japanese in the chapter is something I've taken to saying! It's _hare ta_, and I might as well go ahead and tell you what it means! It means 'Fine' and I really like saying it, and it's even better when you say it twice! Oh yeah, and my little brother taught me that I have WordPad on my laptop! Anyway, here's the chapter that I've been working on FOREVER!  
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The next few days were like heaven to Sarah. She started caring about what went on around her. She looked like she was sane again, and she was cheerful no matter what. She spend most of her time with her mother, whether doing something fun or just sitting together and talking. She became a girl you couldn't make sad if you tried. Sarah didn't walk anywhere anymore. She danced where she wanted to go. Her eyes shimmered nonstop, and the turtles were relieved. They were glad she had stopped being insane like she had been before. Akita was just as joyful as Sarah, only Akita didn't live with Sarah and the turtles in the sewer. She rented an apartment as soon as she had come to New York. The rent lasted a month, and Akita figured it would be a waste to move out now. The entire atmosphere was bright when either Sarah, Akita, or Candy was in the room. She stood beside Mikey as the funny one in the house, and Raph teased that Sarah was taking Mikey's roll. One night, the night before Sarah's fourteenth birthday, Sarah was extremely hyperactive. She paced all through the house, trying to find something to do. Finally she decided to go out.

"Master Splinter! I'm going out for a while!" she called, and Mikey hopped off the couch.

"Mind if I come with you?" he asked, and Sarah blushed.

"Sure, let's go." she said and bounded out of the room and into the sewer. Mikey wasn't too sure what movement Sarah was doing, but he DID know that it was spinny and jumpy. He laughed and ran to catch up with her. Once they were at an exit to the dark tunnel, Sarah practically flew out into the city. In the blink of an eye, she was up on the fire escape and climbing onto the very building that her mom lived in. By the time Mikey was on the roof, Sarah was up and running in circles.

"Hyperactive? What brought that on?" Mikey laughed again, and Sarah skid to a halt in front of him.

"I dunno. It just happened I guess." was her response, and she ran around in circles again. Mikey watched in amusement as Sarah circled the roof over and over. Finally she slowed down and swayed slightly.

"Woah, dizzy!" she said, sitting down on the edge of the building. Mikey walked over and sat down next to her.

"It's my birthday tomorrow." Sarah said, starting a conversation.

"Uh huh." Mikey replied, distracted.

"Hey Mikey, I wanted to thank you." Sarah said, turning to him.

"For?" he asked, glancing at her.

"Getting through to me. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have turned around. I would have kept on walking." she said, smiling.

"Sure you would have turned around." Mikey responded, not so sure of that himself.

"No, I wouldn't have. I would have gone all the way to Japan." Sarah whispered, then looked back out to the city.

"The city sure is beautiful at night, don't you agree?" she said pleasantly, watching the lights intently.

"Yeah....beautiful..." Mikey said softly. But he wasn't looking at the city in front of them. No, his eyes were on Sarah. Then Sarah's eyes darted over to him and he quickly looked back out to the buildings before them. Sarah smiled and blushed again.

"I wonder what the rest of the world is doing tonight." she whispered, staring off into the distance. Probably nothing like what I'm doing, she thought. She leaned back and rested her hands against the roof behind her, looking up at the starless sky. She started humming the first song that came to her mind, a Japanese one. Her eyelids drooped and she sighed. It was so warm out today. She shook her head and tried to resist the unbelievable urge to fall asleep. Why was she so sleepy tonight? It was no different than any other day. Mikey looked over at her and smiled.

"Tired? Maybe we should go back home." he said and Sarah nodded. Then she closed her eyes and frowned.

"Carry me." she demanded and felt herself blacking out. The last thing she felt was being lifted up before she fell asleep.

~The next day~

Sarah woke up with a start in her bed the next morning. She rubbed her head and tried to remember what happened. Let's see. She was up on her mom's apartment building with Mikey. She started humming and then she fell asleep? Yeah, that summed it up pretty well. She glanced at her calander and grinned. Today she was officially fourteen. Her mom always went over board with parties, so Sarah was actually a little afraid. She stood up and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Beautiful. She walked hesitantly out of her room and checked to make sure the coast was clear. Very slowly, she made her way to the kitchen. She closed her eyes and waited. And in five, four, three, two, one...Just as she hit one, Akita threw her arms around Sarah.

"Happy birthday Sarah!" she cried and Sarah winced. Why did this always happen? Not that she wasn't happy, but this was extreme. The one thing she dislike about the large birthday parties was the beginning. They always simmered down towards the end though. Then she decided to give in and hugged her mom back. If there was one thing Akita liked more than being a doctor, it was her own daughter's happiness.

"Come on, into the kitchen!" Akita said, pulling Sarah gently. It, for once, was a simple party. Probably because it would be harder to throw a bigger one in the current situation, despite the fact that Akita and Sarah were excepted on the streets. Sarah, for her mom's sake, acted like you would expect a child to act. She threw her arms in the air and laughed.

"Surprise!" she said to nobody in particular. Akita didn't want to accept the fact that Sarah was growing up, so Sarah didn't act any older. That and Sarah found it easier to act childish than to be mature.

"I didn't have much time to get a party put together, but I managed." Akita said, and Sarah noticed how tired her mom looked.

"Oh Mom, you didn't have to-" Sarah started to say, but Akita cut her short.

"Yes, I did. I didn't pay enough attention to you before, and you ran away. I don't want that to happen again." she whispered, and Akita and Sarah's yellow eyes met and locked. Sarah tried to find something in Akita's face, but couldn't find it. She walked up to her mom to whisper something to her.

"Can I have some cake now?" she asked quietly, and Akita laughed.

"Not yet Sarah. Wait until later. Oh! And I did manage to find this for you." Akita said, giving Sarah a small present. Curious, Sarah ripped off the wrapping paper and pulled out a box, which she opened. Inside there was a small music player. Akita knew Sarah loved music, it wasn't hard to tell. Sarah's eyes shined as she looked at the tiny device. The fact that it was from her mom made it even more special.

"Must...listen to...MUSIC!" Sarah cried, making everyone laugh. Her eyes darted back over to the cake that looked new and her stomach rumbled.

"Are you sure I can't have cake yet?" she begged, but Akita was firm.

"A little bit of waiting won't kill you!" Akita said, smiling at her daughter.

"Well, I'm hungry, so it just might." Sarah answered, looking sadly at the delicious chocolate cake sitting in the kitchen. It was teasing her.

"Sarah, why don't you eat breakfast instead?" Akita hinted, shaking her head.

"Hare ta, hare ta!" Sarah gave in, stumbling into the kitchen, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Sarah, if you touch that cake, you'd better be halfway out of New York by the time I walk in there!" Akita threatened playfully, and Sarah stopped.

"What makes you think I would touch the cake Mom?" Sarah said innocently, not turning around.

"I know you Sarah, you aren't very patient." Akita frowned. Sarah disappeared into the kitchen.

"I'm touching the cake! I'm touching the cake!" she called out into the living room and Akita rolled her eyes.

"One problem with that Sarah! That cake isn't a cake. It's mud!" Akita couldn't hold back the grin on her face. Sarah was gullible sometimes.

"Then why is it so tasty?" Sarah shot back and Akita ran into the kitchen with her.

"Don't worry guys! The cake is fine!" Akita called, and everyone else laughed again. They walked back into the living room, Akita leading Sarah. The next few hours flew by. Sarah managed to put some music on the music player her mom gave her, then settled on the couch to listen to it. Akita guarded the cake while pacing. At about 5 p.m., Akita walked back into the living room.

"Mikey, can you come here?" she called, and Mikey ran over to her.

"Yes?" he asked.

"This may sound silly, but can you watch the cake? I have to get something I forgot at my house and I don't want Sarah getting to it." Akita said, her eyes on Sarah, who was off in her own world on the couch.

"Yeah, sure." Mikey said. "I'll make sure she doesn't get the cake."

"Thanks. I'll be back shortly." And with that, Akita headed out into the sewer to go to her apartment and Mikey took over her position as cake guardian. And of course, he had to resist eating the cake himself. It DID look delicious...No, he couldn't eat it. He snapped back to attention when he saw Sarah sneaking into the kitchen. He hid behind the counter out of her sight. He grinned and watched Sarah's hand reach slowly up to the counter. When her hand was just a few inches from the chocolatey goodness, Mikey sprang up and grabbed her wrist.

"Ah!" Sarah screamed, startled. Then she frowned. "And I thought I had it that time...Now could you let go?" She snatched her hand back.

"You're not getting this cake Sarah." Mikey said, and Sarah grinned.

"You were thinking about eating the cake, weren't you Mikey? she asked.

"N-no! I was not thinking about eating this delicious double layer chocolate cake!" Mikey protested, his eyes darting back to the cake.

"I will give you twenty dollars if you give me a piece of that cake." Sarah got on her knees and begged.

"As much as we want this cake, your mom would kill us." Mikey reminded, and Sarah ran that through her mind.

"I am willing to take that chance!" she said desperately. Unfortunately for them, Akita walked in just then. Sarah and Mikey ran to greet her.

"Where'd you go Mom?" Sarah asked, but Akita didn't respond. Her eyes were wide and her face was pale. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"Uh...Sarah? Can I talk to you in your room for a minute?" Akita stammered and Sarah frowned.

"Sure, let's go..." she said, confused. The turtles and Candy waited for them to come back.

"What do you think that was about?" Candy asked.

"I don't know. But it must be bad for Akita to-" Leo began to say, but was cut off by Sarah.

"NO!" she screamed from the other room. Everyone jumped at Sarah's outburst, which was followed by Akita's frantic words.

"Sarah, calm down! Please Sarah, don't overreact!" she shouted over Sarah's screams of what sounded like agony. Like she was being tortured. Sarah stormed out through the hallway, her eyes a bright red. Akita was chasing after her.

"Sarah! Come back here! You need to calm down before you do something you regret!" she called to the girl, who didn't seem to walk at all. She floated into the kitchen and started pacing. Before Akita could enter the room, she had ran out. Akita groaned and chased after her. Sarah ran out of the kitchen, to the door and out into the sewer before the turtles could react.

"Come on guys, we have to stop her!" Akita said frantically. They jumped up and started to follow her, but stopped for a minute.

"Candy, you stay here. Tell Master Splinter where we are and tell him not to worry. We'll be back!" Leo called and they started to follow Akita again. They ran as fast as they could through the sewer, but Sarah was much faster.

"We have to stop her before she can do anything drastic!" Akita called behind her, and the turtles ran to catch up.

"What happened? What did you say to her!?" Leo wondered, and Akita turned her head slightly.

"It's something that happened back in Japan. Her father....killed her sister..." Akita choked out, then turned her head back to look in front of her.

"She has- er...had a sister?" Leo asked, and Akita nodded.

"Yes, they were twins." Finally, they got to a spot where they could resurface. By the time they had gotten up, there were people lying dead in the street and pools of blood everywhere. People were screaming and running, it was a mess of confusion. But through it all, they could see Sarah. She was sparking with mass amounts of electricity, and she was completely grey. She was whipping her right hand around, and with each time, someone close to her fell dead to the ground.

"Sarah! Stop this NOW!" Akita said fiercely, and Sarah's head snapped up to look furiously at her mother. Sarah bared her teeth, which were remarkably sharp.

"You don't understand! You can never feel what I'm feeling! You don't care about Rachel, you don't care about me!" Sarah shouted over the confusion and she started walking over to Akita. With each step, she grew darker. Finally, she made her way over to Akita. Sarah raised her hand and brought it down hard on Akita's face, knocking her down. Then she spun on her heel and stalked off, heading out of the city. Careful to not be seen, the turtles help Akita into the shadows. She was more frightened then she was before, and there was a large red mark on her cheek.

"I don't care if she hit me, we have to stop her!" Akita insisted, and Leo nodded.

"Come on, let's go." he said and they ran to catch up with Sarah, who was gliding off out of their sight.

"What do you think she's going to do?" Donny asked as they chased after Sarah.

"Chances are she's going back to Japan and causing chaos there. We can't let her do that!" Akita responded, easily keeping up with the turtles.

"Will she really go that far?" Leo wondered, and Akita nodded.

"Yes. She will. There's no doubt of that to me." she said, but then she spotted Sarah, who had stopped for who knows what reason. Sarah turned to look at them.

"Sarah. Stop it!" Akita said to her, but her words bounced off of Sarah.

"Why? What difference would it make?" Sarah shouted angrily, and Akita's expression softened for a minute.

"Sarah, I don't like this any more than you do. But this is extreme!" Akita tried to reason, but Sarah ignored that.

"If you want to stop me, you're going to have to take me down yourselves!" Sarah growled.

"You know I can't do that Sarah." Akita whispered. And it was true. Both pysically and emotionally it was impossible for her to stop Sarah. Akita had even started to think that it was just plain impossible. Sarah laughed, but it wasn't a kind laugh.

"Than you can't prevent me from going to Japan and killing my father!" she said with a finishing note.

"She can't, but we can!" Leo said, and Sarah turned to look at him as if he dare have the nerve to speak up against her.

"I'd LOVE to see you try!" Sarah challenged, and Leo pulled out his katanas.

"Ok then. Let's go!" he said, and Sarah's red eyes flashed. Then she looked at Leo's brothers, who were also wielding their weapons. Sarah grinned and showed them her sharp teeth again. They had the point and sharpness of razor blades.

"This should be interesting. Let's see what you've got. Although from my past experience, I know that isn't much." she taunted, infuriating the turtles. They came at her from different directions, but she easily jumped out of the way. She even took the time to taunt again.

"See? Not much!" she laughed. "Not much at all!" They came at her again and she dodged blades, sticks, and nunchuks.

"Is that honestly all you've got?" she asked, trying to make them mad. She wanted more of a challenge. She knew she could take them down within a few minutes, but she wanted to have something to fight against as a warmup for the fight she planned with Ikari in Japan. She was actually disappointed that it was so easy for her. They once again tried to attack her, but she this time she kicked them away. Her attention snapped over to Mikey, who had managed to avoid her kicks. She walked up to him and grabbed his nunchuks, twisting them and yanking them from his hands. But instead of using them herself, she threw them to the sides. Mikey backed up, but Sarah followed him.

"Sarah, stop it!" Akita insisted from a few yards away from them. Sarah's ears drooped and her shoulders slumped forward. Her eyes began to turn back to yellow. She started walking over to Mikey again, but this time she didn't seem to pose a threat. Everyone else relaxed slightly. Sarah wrapped one arm around Mikey. The other one pulled something small out of her pocket, and she flipped her hand slightly. Then, before anyone could react, she jabbed the object clear through Mikey's shell. It was a pocket knife, that was what she had gone into the kitchen for before. Sarah pulled back and kicked Mikey, who fell backwards. He put his hand to the crack in his shell, and Sarah watched this amusement as blood ran around his fingers. Akita, Leo, and Donny ran to him. But Raph had other ideas. He grabbed his Sai and ran at Sarah, who was distracted by the blood and activity. She snapped back to attention just in time to back away from the flying Sai coming at her. But the blade caught her arm and cut from her elbow to her wrist. Then she tripped over her own feet and fell backwards. As soon as she hit the ground, her colors returned to normal. She laid there for a minute to regain the breath that had been knocked out of her. She slowly got to her feet and put her hand on the cut that was bleeding. She looked at it for a long time, then looked up cautiously. Her eyes had turned back to the topaz yellow they were suppose to be. But then they opened wide when she saw the commotion a few yards from her. She took a hesitant step forward and winced, then started to shake.

"What....no..." she whispered, then spun on her heel and ran into the forest as fast as she could. Even when she couldn't breath, she kept running. Finally, when she was deep in the woods, she fell to her knees. There she let the tears she had held in fall freely. She made the mistake of tightening her fists.

"Ow!" she let go of the bloody knife she had been holding. The knife was covered in not only Mikey's blood, but her own. How could she live knowing she had tried to kill her friends? Carefully, she picked the knife back up...

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**O_O What!? What the hell did I just do!? Did I just try to kill Mikey!? Yes, yes I did. And it all goes along with the story! Actually it's just something I really wanted to put in there, it wasn't necessary for me to put it there. So, tell me what you think, and what you think will happen in the next chapter. But it might be really obvious to those who think of that kind of this. And those who actually read the next to last sentence! XD Right, so please review! **


	11. Can't Heal My Heart

**I have finally defeated the writer's block and gotten the time and patience to make more chapters! Now, for those who understood what Sarah was thinking at the end of the last chapter pretty much know what's going to happen in this one. Er, to some extent. For those who DIDN'T understand, you'll find out. It's fun having the whole story planned out and just trying to figure out how to phrase it like me. Lol, I hope you enjoy!**

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After Sarah had run off, Akita helped the turtles bring Mikey back home so she could bandage him back up. All the while there was only one thing running through her head: How could Sarah do this? She had always had a temper and she had occasionally lashed out. But NEVER anything like this before. She'd never killed anyone before. And Akita couldn't help but wonder how Sarah would react now. She was emotional enough to do anything really, she had proved that just half an hour ago. To tell the truth, Akita was kind of scared. She felt a headache forming behind her eyes.

"Now Mikey, this might hurt a bit." Akita said quietly, and Mikey nodded.

"Ow." Mikey whispered, and Akita laughed slightly. In the four days that she had known, she learned that Mikey was the immature one. He reminded her oddly of Sarah, and it hurt Akita to think of that. It killed her to think of what Sarah was doing right now.

"There we go. Now you just need to lie down for a few days at the most. Fortunately your shell prevented Sarah from doing any real damage." Akita said, choking slightly at Sarah's name. Akita closed her eyes and sat down, putting her head in her hands. Her long purple quills fell forward and brushed against her ankles. Her ears twitched as she caught the quiet conversation going on in the living room.

"Come on Leo, we have to go out looking for her!" Akita heard Donny trying to reason with Leo.

"Why should we?" Leo growled in response. Akita didn't think it was possible for a voice to get that venomous.

"Please Leo? You can't just leave her out there alone!" Mikey begged, he had gone into the room. Akita stood up and walked in too.

"Leonardo. Please find Sarah. I can't lose her again." Akita said softly, tears forming in her eyes. Then she whispered to herself. "Not again. I can't let that happen..."

"Fine. We'll go and look for her." Leo relented, softening at the heartbroken look in Akita's gentle topaz eyes. Akita nodded, but didn't respond otherwise. As soon as they left to find Sarah, Akita sat back down. She was afraid to think of what the future would hold.

"Akita, do you think they'll find Sarah?" Mikey said in a voice that was somewhat fearful.

"I don't know Mikey. I hope they do, but there's no guaruntee that they will." Akita whispered, and Candy walked in with Master Splinter.

"They have to find Sarah!" Candy cried, and Akita looked up at the scared girl. She didn't reply, she just sat there staring off at the wall. Her own fear was overwhelming, but they had nothing to do but sit and wait.

~With the others, WHEE!~

"Do you think we'll find her Leo?" Donny asked from beside his older brother, who frowned.

"I don't know." he replied tightly.

"Leo, you can't stay mad at Sarah forever! You know she didn't mean to do it. You'd react the same way if one of us was killed." Raph tried to reason with Leo, but he didn't listen. He knew he couldn't trust Sarah anymore. Leo knew his brothers didn't understand, especially not Mikey. They didn't understand how much of a threat Sarah was to them now.

"Uh, Leo? You do realize that Sarah ran towards the forest. And we're never going to find her searching the city?" Donny pointed out, and they made their way over to the forest the Sarah ran to. It was a pain not being able to see an overview of the area, but they dealt with it.

"We've been looking for at least a half hour by now..." Donny said slowly, and Leo nodded.

"What the-" Raph stopped short and looked down.

"What is it Raph?" Leo asked and Donny knelt down. He ran his fingers across the ground and looked at what he found. Then his eyes widened and he looked back down.

"What is it?" Leo said again, and Donny looked up at him.

"This is blood." he whispered, standing back up. He walked slowly through a thick bush, seperating the thick branches. When he got to the other side, Leo and Raph could hear him gasp and they pushed through the bush too. Their reactions were the same as they saw the cause of the blood on the ground. Sarah was lying there, her arms stretched out in front of her. Looking at her arms, the turtles saw that they were dark red and covered with deep cuts. Her dress was soaked in her own blood, and she was unconcious. Donny quickly knelt down to pick her up.

"Come on, we have to get her back home! And nothing you say is going to stop that Leo." Don said, looking meaningfully at his older brother, who frowned.

"Fine, but only for Akita." he said with an edge to his voice. They rushed back out of the forest, through the shadows of the city, and down through the sewers. Once they were there, Leo stopped them around the bend to the door.

"Hang on, I'll bring Akita out here. I don't want Mikey or Candy seeing her how she is right now." he said and Don and Raph nodded. Leo walked back into the house and called for Akita, who came quickly.

"Did you find her Leo?" she asked nervously.

"Uh...yeah. But can you come out here for a minute?" Leo said gently, and Akita followed him out.

"Now, we found Sarah. But...there's something else. Now you have to promise to stay calm, ok?" Leo said to her, and Akita nodded. Leo lend her around the bend and Akita froze when she saw Sarah's condition. Her hand flew to her mouth to keep herself from crying.

"What...happen?" she managed to choke out, and Leo cringed.

"We don't know. We found her like this." he replied sadly.

"Chances are she did this after she left earlier." Donny suggested, which was a reasonable suggestion.

"But...why!?" Akita's voice got higher and she didn't even try to stop her tears. She couldn't bear to look at her daughter all mangled up like that.

"Maybe she didn't think she could live with the guilt of what she did..." Donny whispered, looking at the hedgehog in his arms.

"I was wondering how we would get her into the house without Candy or Mikey seeing her...like this..." Leo said hesitantly, also looking at Sarah.

"I'll be right back." Akita said, and before they could respond, she was gone. Within minutes, she was back with a small blanket. She unfolded it and held out her arms.

"Here Donny, give her to me." she said and Don gently laid Sarah in Akita's arms. Akita looked down sadly at her daughter and closed her eyes. The only way she was positive that Sarah was alive was that her chest was moving up and down with her shallow breaths. Akita carefully wrapped the blanket around Sarah and quickly carried her into the house and straight to the bathroom. She had to clean Sarah up before she could mend to the cuts on Sarah's arms. She gently took off the blood drenched dress and just threw it away. There was no hope in making it look clean again, and the dress was the very least of Akita's concerns. Looking around, Akita found a soft washcloth, got it wet, and tenderly started to clean off the blood that stained Sarah's fur and arms. Once Akita had cleaned off the blood, she got one of the towels from the shelves and wrapped in around Sarah. Quickly, she lifted Sarah up and ran for the girl's room. There she redressed Sarah and set her lovingly on the bed. Running back out of the room, she went to get some bandages, a needle, and some thread. Some of the cuts were so deep she needed to sew them shut. She hurried back to Sarah's room and got to work. Slowly, she stitched up the deepest of the cuts and some of the shallower but still deep ones. All the while, Sarah remained unconcious. Not once did she stir, making Akita's job easier. Once the deep cuts were well-stitched, Akita wrapped the bandaged around Sarah's arms. When she was done, Akita carefully placed Sarah under the covers of the bed. All there was to do now was to wait for her to wake up. In the meantime, Akita cleaned herself up and got rid of the blood stains on her own clothes. By the time she was done, Sarah was starting to come to...

~Sarah's POV~

I don't remember what happened exactly. All I remember is waking up in my bed feeling very weak and slightly damp. I slowly opened my eyes and a feeling of relief washed over me. It was just a dream, I thought. But as I woke up further, I felt wrong. My arms hurt beyond belief, and they felt restricted. I was surprised at how hard it was to lift them, and I nearly fainted when I looked at then. They were wound up with long white bandages, doctor's bandages that were speckled with my blood. My stomach dropped as I realized that is had NOT been just a dream. A shiver went down my spine as I thought hard back to what had happened. I talked to myself.

"Mom came back. Rachel's dead. All those people I killed. And Mikey..." I said quietly and it hit my like a ton a bricks. I dropped my head in my hands I began to cry.

"What have I done? How could I let this happen!?" I sobbed and the sound made my mom come into the room.

"Sarah! You're awake!" Akita said to me, wrapping her arms gently around me. I didn't have the energy to pull away.

"Mom, what am I doing here?" I asked her, and she held me at an arms-length. Looking up at her, I was disturbed to see tears in her eyes.

"Sarah, they couldn't leave you there. I couldn't risk losing you again." she cried. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I lost you, the only thing I have left, because of your father's mistakes. I couldn't let that happen. Not again!" Her tears fell off her cheeks and landed on the tips of my ears, which twitched. I asked her again.

"What am I doing here?" I said, and she finally replied properly.

"Leo, Raph, and Donny brought you here. They found you all cut up and bloody. I practically begged Leo on my knees to go and look for you. I couldn't let you stay out there alone Sarah. I wouldn't let it happen. I would have gone out there and looked for you myself if they hadn't." she said, then added in a whisper, "The only reason I didn't was because I had to watch over Mikey. Medically of course..." I looked up at her, tears in my own eyes.

"Mom, what have I done? How could I let this happen? I destroyed the only trust they had in me. I took it and smashed it along with all the people I killed." I wrapped my arms around her and buried my face in her shoulder. She put her hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes.

"Don't do this to me Sarah. I can't stand to see you beat yourself up like this!" she cried to me, and I felt a bit guilty for putting her through all of this terror just so I could try and feel better. I was being selfish, and it wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry Mom." I whispered, searching her expression for something that wasn't there. I was trying to find some form of hatred, but it didn't exist. I knew that she couldn't hate me, just like she couldn't fight me. It just wasn't possible.

"Sarah, you can't blame yourself! You can't blame yourself for what your father did!" Akita told me firmly, and I nodded.

"But what about Leo, Donny, Raph, and Mikey? I know they can't trust me anymore. Well, I know Mikey does..." I trailed off.

"Sarah. Stop it now." Mom said again. "You have to stop doing this to yourself!" Tears filled my eyes and I broke down.

"I'm so sorry Mom, I just can't help it! As much as I want to deny it, I'm a murderer!" I screamed as loud as I could. I knew it didn't help her hearing, but I needed to let it out. I couldn't keep it in any longer. "Why does this keep happening to me!?" I buried my face into her shoulder again. She hesitantly wrapped her arms around me and held me close. For a long while she just sat there, holding me as I cried miserably. Then she looked into my face.

"Sarah. I understand how you're feeling, but you can't let it take over your life! You can't allow it to break apart everything you know!" she told me, and I nodded again but didn't answer. Akita finally stood up, leading me into the kitchen. She knew I was starving, I hadn't eaten in a while. And so I ate, but only to make her feel better. If she thought I was calm, I didn't have to worry. I would pretend to be feeling better and trick her into thinking so! That sounded fairly easy. Yes, I just had to be miserable when I was alone and not let my feelings show around her. Then she'd stop trying to baby me back to health. In truth, I didn't want to be healthy! I wanted to be hurt, to be in pain. I wanted to pay for what I had done, not let off the hook. I needed to be punished severely for my wrongdoing, not healed and fed. That's why I had tried to kill myself. Only I had wanted it to be slow and painful so the last thoughts I thought would be of how much pain I was in and how much pain I had caused. I had to figure out a way to punish myself more. But not in front of my mom, she'd freak out. I couldn't cut myself because my mom would have to look at my arms anyway to heal the cuts I'd cause before! I guess my pain would have to wait...for now. But I knew it would come, whether I caused it or not.

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**Well, that was long and annoying to write! Stupid writer's block causing me to not be able to update...Wow, Sarah has finally reached a point of suicide! I never thought I'd see the day. Actually I knew this was going to happen, and I know what's doing to happen throughout the rest of the story! I just have to put it into detail. I've been told I'm improving. Good, all that reading other fanfics and reading Twilight is paying off. I'm finally writing with emotion! =D **

**Ok now, who here is impatient for summer? Besides me? O_o**


	12. Bad News Gets Worse

**Now I get around to writing the next chapter! The last one took long enough to make. Hopefully the rest of them aren't that long! OK, I can do this! Should be easy enough. Alright, here we go!**

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Sarah's POV:

I spent every day trying to think of how to make my mom happy, that's what was important to me right now. I knew she was upset with me, and I knew that she was easy to break. I tried to act like I was enjoying my days, but it was hard. It was hard to be something you aren't, to pretend to be happy. And Leo wasn't of any help. He looked furious that I had the nerve to stay in the house after what I had done. His eyes made me nervous and edgy, they burned against my skin. I struggled every day to keep up with my lie of happiness, and I fell into bed exhausted every night. My mom was always over by the time I woke up, and left after I fell asleep. I knew she wanted to keep an eye on me, and make sure Leo didn't try to kill me himself. All I could think was 'If looks could kill...' when he was in the room. I tried to keep a safe distance from him, but it was near impossible. I didn't blame him for his behavior of course, I HAD killed half a dozen people and tried to kill his own brother. I didn't talk to anyone other than Akita. I was afraid to. I was afraid that I might be kicked out for good at the slightest thing I said wrong. And so over the next few days, Akita was the only one I spoke to. She seemed glad to talk to me when I wanted to, and she didn't pressure me when I wanted to be alone.

"Mom, Leo isn't going to let up, is he?" I asked her one morning as she was changing the bandages on my arms. Akita pondered that as she worked.

"Don't worry, he will eventually." she responded finally, smiling at me. "There we go, all better." I jumped from the chair I was sitting on to the floor and walked out of the room, deep in thought. Sure enough, I bumped into something. Looking up, I saw that something was Leo, and he frowned. I backed up two steps.

"Oh, sorry." I stammered, then walked around him. He hadn't said a word to me since three days before. I had a feeling that he wouldn't actually ever speak to me again. I knew my mom was just trying to reassure me. There was no way she could be positive. I frowned and made my way into my room. There, I sat on my bed and picked up the necklace my mom had given me. Then I looked at the bandages that were wrapped around my arms. Oh, how I wished this was just a nightmare. But I knew in my heart that this was the one nightmare I'd never wake up from. I knew that this was too real to be a nightmare, that it had gone on too long. I don't know how long I sat on my bed starring at my arms, but the next thing I knew my mom was calling for me. I set my necklace back down and ran to see what she wanted. It was lunch, but I wasn't hungry. I sat down and tried to eat anyway. There was an eerie silence, and I looked up. That was my mistake. Leo was talking quietly with Akita and she seemed to agree with whatever he was saying. I stood up abruptly, startling Akita and Leo.

"That's it! I can't take it anymore!" I cried, then spun around and ran out of the room. I ran all the way up to my room, grabbed my necklace, then ran back out. Akita seemed confused as I made my way back out of my room, until I ran for the door. I heard her calling after me to stop, but I kept going. I couldn't take the silence anymore, the unkind atmosphere. Out of the house, through the sewer, and into the streets I ran, not taking a second to look back. I wasn't really sure where I was going, I just knew that I had to get away from Leo. As I ran, I put the necklace around my neck. Several people on the sidewalk near me were alarmed at the fact that I was running so fast through such a busy day. They looked worried that I might run into someone. But when they saw that it was ME, they screamed and cleared a path for me. At their reactions, tears fell from my eyes and I didn't bother to wipe them away. Looking to my right, through the traffic, I saw several police cars had turned on their sirens. They had seen me too, and were determined to arrest me. _Oh good_, I thought, _a challenge!_ As we approached a four way intersection crosswalk, one of the cars turned sharply to the left to block me from going forward. I grinned and darted to the right across the busy street. Cars swerved and screeched to a halt to avoid hitting me. Fortunately, no cars actually hit each other. The cops seemed disturbed at the fact that I was joyful to be running from them. I laughed, confusing them even more. This was what I had been waiting three days for! I was going to get myself in as much trouble as I could without killing or robbing someone. Resisting arrest was sure to get me in trouble, and I had always found running fun! It was challenging for me to find my way through mazes of people, cars, and confusion, but it was even more challenging for them. Running down the street, I looked back. Far behind me. Looking back in front of me, I saw that the police cars had formed a wall. Again looking back, they were forming a wall behind me too. I was cornered. People on the sidewalk tried to get a better look, and cameras flashed. I crossed my arms and smiled.

"How come you guys are ruining all my fun? I haven't run this much since I was running to the airport back in Japan!" I called. They cautiously got out of their cars and brought out their guns, aiming them at me in case I decided to attack or make a break for it. But I stood stock-still in the center of the road. I frowned at their seriousness.

"I guess this ends my reign of terror!" I said mournfully, disappointed that it hadn't lasted longer.

"Put your hands behind your head and get on the ground NOW!" one of the officers ordered, and I did as I was told. He ran over to me and cuffed me, then stood me up.

"Officer, I find a problem with this system." I told him, and he looked down at me.

"What?" he asked as he walked me over to the car I was to ride in to the jail.

"My dad in Japan can purposely kill dozens of people and get away with it, but I lose my temper and kill six people here and go to jail. Why is that?" I wondered. He didn't respond, but put me in the back of his car. He didn't have an answer.

"Didn't think so." I smirked, not really caring about my situation.

Normal POV:

Back at the sewer, Akita and Leo had given up looking for Sarah there and went back inside.

"Where could she have gone?" Akita cried, putting her head in her hands. Candy walked up to her and hugged her.

"You'll find her, you did before." Candy whispered.

"She's got to be up in the city." Akita said to herself.

"But we can't really go up there now." Leo reminded her, and Akita sighed. She went back into the kitchen and looked at the clock. They had been searching for a while, it was already 5 p.m.

"We can't just sit around and wait." Akita said miserably.

"We'll look for her more tonight." Donny promised, and Akita looked up.

"Which reminds me, Mikey can go with you." Akita remembered suddenly. "He's all healed up."

"Really?" Mikey said eagerly from the living room.

"Yup!" Akita called back to him. Then her face fell and she put her head back in her hands.

"Don't worry Akita. We'll find her." Don said gently, putting one hand on her shoulder.

"I wish I could believe you..."Akita whispered, tears coming to her eyes. She was losing her daughter again. She pulled away from Donny's hand and went into Sarah's room. There she sat on Sarah's bed and looked around the small room. On the bookshelf beside the bed, Sarah had put the small music player she had received for her birthday. Akita picked it up and turned it on. Leaning back against the wall and putting the earphones into her ears, Akita listened to the variety of songs on the mp3 player. The first song that came on was 'Animal I Have Become' and the tears returned to Akita's eyes. She quickly pulled the earphones out and turned the mp3 player off. After she put the music player back on the bookshelf, Akita laid down and closed her eyes. This couldn't be happening again. She'd lost her daughter enough times in one life, and what was worse was half of New York City's police officers would be looking for her. Unless they'd already found her. The thought sent shivers down Akita's spine, and she could feel the warm sting of tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn't hear Candy walk into the room, and wouldn't have noticed her if the little girl hadn't talked.

"We aren't going to find her, are we Akita?" Candy asked quietly, startling Akita.

"What? Of course we are!" Akita responded fiercely, pushing all the negative thoughts out of her head. Candy walked up and grabbed one of Akita's hands.

"Then why are you crying?" she whispered, and Akita's heart gave up in trying to hold her emotions back. She burst into tears and held Candy close, crying into the rabbit's fur. Candy just stood there, providing a crying shoulder to her friend's mother.

"Oh Candy, I can't bear it! What if I lose her again?" Akita cried, her voice stopping only to the wracking sobs as she poured her heart out. All of the emotions she had contained for four months were flowing out at this one moment. Candy was only a little girl, but she understood Akita's misery. Candy had lost Cane to her father, and she still felt as though a knife were in her heart. She figured Akita's felt the same way now. And so the two girls stood there, embracing each other. Akita was lost in her own misery, and Candy was just standing there. Finally, Akita's tears came to an end, and she pulled away from Candy. She tried to smile at the smaller girl.

"Thank you Candy. I needed that..." Akita whispered, and pulled Candy up onto the bed next to her.

"Are you staying here Akita?" Candy asked, looking up at Akita.

"I might as well, I won't be able to sleep no matter where I am, and I won't have to come all the way down here in the morning." Akita responded.

"We'll find her tomorrow, right?" Candy asked, and Akita nodded.

"We'll try." she replied sadly. Candy fell back against the bed and closed her eyes, and Akita lied down too. Within minutes, Candy was asleep, and Akita wrapped her arms around the girl.

~Sarah's POV~

I'd been arrested, and the officers weren't exactly nice to me. Nor were my cellmates. When I was put in the cell, they looked up at me.

"Well, what do we have here?" one of them asked, standing up.

"Fresh meat looks like it." the biggest one said, walking over to me. I bared my teeth, but it didn't rattle him. I turned and started to walk to one of the sorry excuses for bed, but the big meathead put his hand on my shoulder to stop me. I hissed, spun around, and rammed my fist into his stomach. It threw him into the wall on the other side of the tiny cell. I flashed my teeth again and growled. This time they cowered a bit, but the big one was stupid enough to approach me again. By now I'd turned around again, but I heard him stalking over to me. I turned around again and concentrated some of my power into my hands. Bolts of blue lightning shot from my palms and hit the idiot directly. I turned back around and flopped on one of the "beds". They left me alone, and I curled up with my face against the wall. I knew I wouldn't sleep tonight, but I had to try anyway..,

~Normal POV~

True to her word, Akita didn't sleep at all that night. She just laid against the wall and stared at the ceiling. When morning came, Akita still hadn't managed to get even ten minutes of sleep. She dragged herself out of Sarah's bed and walked into the kitchen.

"Fluh...." she muttered nonsensically. Then she put on her shoes and prepared to leave. She had to get a thing or two from her house.

"I'll be back in a little bit!" she called, shaking off her drowsiness. So she ran through the sewers, and perked up when she hit the surface. The fresh air did wonders, and she ran all the way to her apartment. She not only got her cell phone, but bought a copy of today's newspaper. When she saw the headline, she froze and her heart dropped. Panicking, she sped back to the sewer and slammed the door shut behind her. She got there in time to here Leo's out loud thinking to his brothers.

"We have to find her. Where could she possibly be though?" he wondered, and Akita ran into the kitchen with them.

"I already found her." she said hollowly, handing Leo the paper. He read the headline title: **Hedgehog Murderer Arrested Yesterday**

"What!?" he cried, and Akita winced.

"What did you expect? A welcoming party!?" Akita said fiercely, and Leo showed his brothers the newspaper.

"Well, we can't just let her stay there! We have to go and get her!" Mikey insisted

"But she was arrested, we can't break her out." Leo pointed out, but Akita shook her head.

"Oh, I'm going to get her whether it's legal or not!" she said, and just then her cell phone rang. She pulled it from her pocket and looked at the number.

"It's Jonah again..." she whispered, and went into the living room to answer it. The turtles walked with her and were surprised when Akita's face fell.

"Last night? Are you sure?" she asked this said 'Jonah'. "Yes, thank you. I'll let you know what happens." And with that she ended the call.

"Akita, what-" Leo started to ask, but Akita cut him off.

"Crap!" she shouted to the ceiling, and headed for the door.

"Akita, what's wrong?" Leo finished this time. Akita didn't turn around, but answered his question.

"There's a problem. Sarah's father, Ikari, decided to come and pay us a little visit." she replied, still running.

"What is he planning to do?" Mikey asked, and Akita thought for a minute."

"I'm not sure, but if I have to guess. He killed Rachel, Sarah's sister, and I think he's coming here to kill Sarah too." Akita said tightly, now climbing up the ladder and removing the lid for the manhole.

"Then wouldn't it make more sense to leave Sarah in jail, where she's safe?" Raph asked, but Akita shook her head.

"Ikari would find her anyway, and if Sarah's free, she can kill him." Akita reasoned, then headed off to let Sarah loose.

"This is insane." Leo whispered.

~At the prison center~

Sarah was lying on her back looking at the ceiling, the only one awake in her cell. How could she let this happen?

"Sarah!" her mother's voice came from somewhere out of the cell, snapping Sarah to attention.

"Mom? Is that you?" Sarah called back, and Akita came into view.

"Sarah!" Akita said again, and Sarah walked as far as the bars would allow.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Sarah asked, but Akita got on her knees and pulled something out of her pocket. It was a hairclip.

"I'm here to break you out." Akita said, distracted and seemingly nervous.

"What!?" Sarah cried, and Akita shushed her, then opened the cell door. She reached in and pulled Sarah out, closing the door behind her.

"Sarah, listen. Ikari is here, in New York! I'm not sure, but I think he's here to kill you too." Akita explained, and Sarah's face fell.

"What?" she whispered, then her head snapped up.

"What is it Sarah?" Akita asked, but got the answer as soon as she asked. There was screaming coming from outside. Lots of screaming.

"I think he's already here." Sarah said, and started to run for the exit to the prison.

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**Ugh, that took longer than I wanted! But it's done and I can move onto the next chapter! Sarah has been pestering me to get it done, so I figured today was the perfect day! Please review and happy Easter! ^_^**


	13. Fight For Life And Freedom

**Interesting, VERY interesting! OK, last chapter took me long enough to post, but I was busy. Wait, don't I say that every time? XD Well, it's true. I live a very hectic life! But, I sometimes manage to get a little bit of the story down now and again. T~T Hopefully things will be better this summer...**

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Sarah and Akita ran through the maze of jail cells, attracting a bit of attention from the prisoners. They seemed angry that I was leaving.

"Hey, where the hell do you think you're going!?" A few of them called after them, but they didn't turn around.

"Mom, where are the guys?" Sarah asked frantically, and Akita turned her head slightly to look at Sarah.

"I told them to meet me next to that pizza shop that's always full of pedophiles." she responded, and Sarah lifted her slightly bigger mother. Akita may have been bigger, but Sarah was faster and more coordinated. Sarah would have been there within two minutes, but she was stopped by something. A police officer had grabbed her arm and she fell, sliding against the hard stone floor. She jumped back up and tried to pull against the officer's grip, but he didn't let go.

"Where are you going!?" he shouted, and Sarah growled.

"Where do you think!?" Sarah shouted back, ticking the officer off further.

"It's bad enough we have another one of your kind wreaking havoc out there, I DON'T need YOU killing too!" he snapped, and Sarah's face fell.

"Ikari...no..." Akita whispered behind her, and Sarah looked up at the policeman.

"How many people has he killed?" she asked, and the officer thought about that for a minute before answering.

"About 4 dozen unfortunately." he said, and an idea flashed through Sarah's mind.

"How about this. I stop him once and for all and you let me go." Sarah offered, and the man nodded.

"Fine, but if you can't stop him, you're staying in here!" he threatened, but Sarah shook her head.

"No. If I don't kill him, I won't be going anywhere again. I'm willing to fight him to the death." she said, and police officer, who's tag said Joe, softened slightly.

"Ok then, you'd better get to it then!" he said, and Sarah started running again with Akita.

"Sarah, you aren't really going to fight him to the death, are you?" Akita whispered, and Sarah nodded.

"Of course I am, would I lie to a police officer?" she said, not turning at all. Akita stopped running, and since Sarah was grabbing her hand, she skid to a halt too.

"Sarah the Hedgehog, I am NOT losing you again!" Akita cried, tears coming to her eyes.

"Mom, I don't want to leave you. But if it means weakening or killing that man I call my father, I'm willing to do it." Sarah said, and Akita sighed.

"Let's get to the guys, come on!" Akita said, letting the previous subject drop. They were careful to avoid the street that Ikari was on.

"Akita, over here!" Leo said, waving.

"Leo, I got her!" Akita said breathlessly.

"Candy, what are you doing here!?" Sarah cried, looking at the little girl.

"We were just about to mention that. She said that she doesn't want to stay home while you're out here." Leo explained, and Sarah nodded.

"Fine, but stay out of the way of the fight." she whispered to Candy, who nodded.

"Come on, we need to get you guys further away!" Sarah instructed, and they all nodded. Sarah carefully led them further from the death and blood that Sarah's father was causing. But a few yards from their original spot, Sarah's ears perked up and she stopped.

"Guys! Hide!" she cried, and most of them went to the right. All but Candy was with Sarah, she's run to the other side of the street. Just as they cleared the way, a HUGE bolt of lightning shot down the street.

"Damn it!" Sarah growled. Candy was seperated from them. Candy, the most defenseless of them all. Sarah turned to Akita, who looked frightened.

"Mom, go over there with Candy, keep her safe. OK?" she said, and Akita nodded. But before she went, she walked over to Leo.

"Leo, I need to tell you something." she whispered, and Leo looked at her curiously.

"What is it?" he asked, and Akita walked a bit closer. She pulled back her hand and punched Leo as hard as she could in his jaw.

"THAT'S for making Sarah leave the house yesterday!" she growled, then ran quickly across to Candy.

"Guys, STAY here. And Leo?" Sarah said, and punched him even harder. Then she went out into the open and frowned. _This is gonna be a long day..._,she thought.

"Hey, Ikari!" she shouted, then whistles sharply. A few seconds later, there was another hedgehog standing in front of Sarah. He honestly looked more like a hedgehog than Sarah. He had many more quills than Sarah, and they were all over the back of his head and they ran down his back. He was orange, but his quills were tipped with a dark red. His eyes were red, and on his chest was a pattern that was made up of three swirls. When he spoke, the words rolled out smoothly yet in a voice that made you shiver. However, Sarah didn't seem to even think about his voice as he began to speak.

"Ah Sarah, I've been looking for you for quiet some time now!" he purred, and Sarah frowned again.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she growled.

"What? No 'Hello Daddy'?" Ikari asked, and Sarah hissed.

"You lied to me!" she said angrily, and Ikari pretended great surprise.

"Now how did I lie to my precious daughter?" he said, and tears formed in Sarah's eyes.

"You promised me that no matter what, you'd never hurt a member of your family! You told me that you would rather skin yourself ALIVE then hurt one of us! And yet you kill Rachel and then have the NERVE to come here!?" Sarah shrieked.

"If you hadn't left Japan, all would have been fine. Rachel would still be alive, your friends would see you every day!" Ikari tempted, but Sarah wasn't about to fall into his trick. She knew what he was trying to do.

"I lived with you for thirteen and a half YEARS! Not once did you show signs of ever wanting me around!" Sarah shot back, and Ikari snapped. In the blink of an eye, he was behind Sarah. He grabbed one of her arms and flung her to the side. She quickly jumped back to her feet, not seeming the least effected.

"You're going to have to do better than that if you want me gone!" Sarah taunted, infuriating Ikari. And then he was gone. Flicking her ears back and forth, Sarah caught the sound of a snap, followed by a scream and a gunshot. Then Ikari was back, and in his hand was a gun. But instead of aiming it at Sarah, Ikari pointed the metal death stick at Akita, who's eyes widened.

"You wouldn't want me to kill your mother, would you?" he said, a dangerous glimmer in his blood red eyes. Sarah growled, but before she had the time to react, Ikari pulled the trigger. Sarah turned in the direction of Akita and Candy, but was surprised that Akita was unharmed. Then Sarah looked at Candy, who's own eyes were wide. In the center of her chest was a bullet hole, and blood ran out of it. That pushed Sarah off the edge, and she wheeled around to face Ikari.

"That's IT!" she shouted, then ran headfirst at the orange hedgehog. Ikari didn't move, and that was Sarah's intention. She jumped around behind him and kicked his back, ignoring the quills that scraped against her leg. Sarah's eyes were a deep shade of red and her fur was dark gray by the time her dad hit the ground. Ikari could actually see the electricity sparking off of her, and got back to his feet. Sarah growled and moved in to attack again, this time sinking her razor sharp teeth into Ikari's arm. He cried out with pain as Sarah ripped through his muscle and down to the bone. Sarah, not letting her grip off his arm, kicked him again. This time, a hunk of Ikari's fur, skin, and bloody muscle stayed in Sarah's mouth, which she spit out. Ikari lifted the gun that was in his non-injured arm, not wasting time to scare Sarah or even aim properly. The bullet shot off the tip of Sarah's ear, but she only flinched slightly. Blood ran from the tip of her ear and down her face, but she didn't stop to wipe it off. She put her hands together and threw a ball of lightning at Ikari, who was only narrowly affected by it. He got back up and put his hand to the spot where his arm was ripped into.

"Give it up Ikari, you can't win!" Sarah said through her teeth, and she pulled out her hammer. Ikari took the time to flash her an evil grin before pulling a knife out of seemingly nowhere. Sarah laughed.

"How are you going to stab me if I'm over here!?" she said, baring her teeth, which were spotted in blood. Ikari lifted the knife and threw it, and it caught Sarah on her shoulder. She dropped her hammer and it disappeared, then her hand flew up to her shoulder and the knife. Blood began rushing from the point of entry.

"AH! Damn you! Get over here so I can finish kicking your ass!" she screeched in pain, and her color returned to normal. Ikari laughed, and tears ran down Sarah's face, mixing with the blood from her ear.

"You should know by now that you can't kill me! You have a knife in your shoulder and I plan to finish the job! You're older enough now to know that I'm stronger, older, and faster than you!" he taunted, and Sarah put her hands on her knees, breathing heavily. She growled, and looked up at him.

"You may be older than me, and you may be faster than me, but you sure as HELL aren't stronger than me!" she snapped, then ran at him again. But she wasn't running as fast as she was before, and she seemed pale because of the blood loss. But a strength attack wasn't her intention. Ikari knew that she wasn't strong enough to kill him, so he didn't worry. As soon as Sarah was two yards away from him, she reached over, pulled the knife from her shoulder, and whipped her hand around. The knife caught Ikari by surprise, but he didn't have the time to move out of the way, so if slashed across his throat. He stumbled forward and tried to take the knife from Sarah, but she jabbed it over and over again into his body. Finally, he fell forward into Sarah's arms, and she caught him. Disgusted, she threw him back down. As soon as she was sure he was dead, which she could tell by his mangled up body, she ran over to Candy, who was narrowly holding on to her life. She lifted Candy and put her where there was more air.

"Please Candy, no!" Sarah cried and held Candy close. The little girl leaned forward to whisper something in Sarah's ear.

"Bury me in the forest...played with Cane...time..." she said, then slipped into the hands of Death.

"No!" Sarah literally cried, tears falling freely as she tried to bring Candy back to life. Akita and the turtles watch as the heartbroken girl tried pointlessly to get Candy breathing again. It had been three minutes before Sarah stopped. She threw her head back and let out the most ear-piercing scream possible. One that could be head over all the commotion happening a dozen yards away, one that was full of pain and agony. It sounded as though someone was torturing her.

"Sarah, please." Akita begged Sarah, who stood up.

"Mom..." she whispered, then fell into Akita's arms.

"Please, don't you leave too!" Akita said, but Sarah managed to smile.

"Don't worry...it's just a flesh wound..." she said, and Akita laughed through her tears. Just then, an ambulance screeched to a halt before them, and a medical team rushed out to load Sarah into the van. Akita hopped into the back with Sarah and the ambulance took off for the hospital, only praying that it wouldn't be too late to save Sarah's life.

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**Okey dokey! That was fun. I actually tried a few different ideas but decided on this one. Eh, wasn't the longest battle scene, and it sure as hell wasn't as long as I planned for it to be! But I think it turned out OK! Now, there's gonna be one more chapter after this one, if I ever get around to it...I'm sure I'll find the time. O_O I made a picture of Ikari and posted it on DeviantArt, scared the hell out of me when I was finished with it! I feel kinda guilty about killing off Candy, but it had to be done. And she isn't really dead, just in this story. Hehe, I would probably have updated yesterday, but I was watching New Moon, which I got in my Easter basket! Even little brother kinda liked it. So anyway, tell me what you think about this chapter and hell, the rest of the story! And stay tuned for the last chapter, which I will try to get done with and posted as soon as possible! Bye!**


	14. Return to Reality

**And last chapter (I hope! O_O) of this story! Yeah, if I'm gonna make this the last chapter, it's gonna just be long. T~T Good, this story has gone on long enough! But it feels good to get this idea off my chest! So yeah, here we go!**

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Sarah's POV

I woke up in the hospital some time later, how long I wasn't sure. At least not until Akita came into the room and told me! As soon as I woke up, she was next to me. She looked worried, but I didn't blame her. The near-death experience of your daughter tends to do that to you.

"Sarah, you're awake!" she cried, and I nodded.

"Yeah...what time is it?" I asked.

"It's about 5 in the afternoon, same day." Akita responded, and I groaned.

"So I've been out of it for over 5 hours?" I whispered, the events of today rushing back to me.

"Yeah, you scared me Sarah. Your heart stopped several times, and they just barely got you going again..." Akita said quietly.

"The forest...time..." I murmured, confusing Akita.

"What?" she asked, and I looked up at her.

"Candy said she wanted to be buried in the forest. I think she said because she spend time playing with Cane there..." I answered, and she nodded.

"Right. We'll do that." she promised, then her expression lightened a bit.

"Fortunately, you only have to stay here for a day or two!" Akita told me, and I smiled.

"Like I said, it was only a flesh wound." I grinned, and she laughed again.

"You heal quickly. You don't know how glad I am you're OK..." Akita whispered, and I closed my eyes.

"No...I don't..." I said, then drifted back to sleep.

~Two days later~

"Ok Sarah, you ready to go?" Akita asked me, and I nodded. I was far past ready to leave the hospital.

"Mom, I've been ready since I woke up yesterday!" I laughed, and Akita put an arm around me in case I needed it.

"Now, you're going to have to take it easy for a little while, OK?" she said, and I nodded again.

"Mom, where did you bury Candy? Did you put her in the forest like she wanted?" I asked.

"Yeah, but wait at least until tomorrow to go to her." Akita said, and I agreed. I was feeling a little lightheaded after staying in the hospital for two days. The outside air felt even more fresh after being locked up. Akita hailed a taxi, and I carefully climbed in. I'd spend the night at her apartment seeing as it would be easiest. Once in the taxi, I rested my head against the back of the seat and sighed. I'd spent the last week in hell, whether in the hospital or not. I'd been arrested, broken out of prison, and killed my dad all in two days. Then I'd spent three days in the hospital, which drove me insane. Now I knew I never wanted to stay in a hospital again. I'd had enough of the place, and I didn't intent to go back. Before I knew it, we were at my mom's apartment. She helped me out of the taxi and into the building, only actually assisting me when I wobbled.

Then she gently placed me on her soft couch.

"OK Sarah, now you just need to stay here until tomorrow!" Akita said, grinning. I moaned and rolled over onto my side.

"Hopefully the time will go by faster!" I whispered. I didn't want to spend long hour after long hour sitting still, it wasn't my strong point. I'd just have to deal with it though.

~The next day~

Normal POV

Sarah woke up early in the morning before Akita was up. She tried to fall asleep again, but she couldn't so she got up. As soon as she stood up, she tipped over.

"Ow." she said to herself, slowly standing up again. This time, she managed to stay on her feet. But she had an agonizing headache, so she went into the kitchen to find some painkillers. After she took the pills, she stood by the sink and sighed. The events of the last week really started to catch up with her and reality set in. She'd spend most of her time in the hospital asleep, so she hadn't had time to think about what had happened. Now that she was awake, it all came rushing back to her. As soon as it hit her, she fell to her knees. The pain was unbearable. She put both of her hands on her chest and began to cry. Her heart ached for that which wasn't there, it ached for Candy. It felt as though a knife were being twisted in her heart, and she jerked back up to her feet. Unwilling to accept it, she grabbed a kitchen knife off the counter and held it to her throat. But before she had the chance to actually slit her throat, Sarah's emotional storm began to simmer. She lowered her hand and sat on a chair near the wooden cutting board on the counter. Leaning forward, Sarah carefully carved words into the board. With one hand on her cheek and the other grasping the knife, she carved 'No fate but what we make' onto the wood. Tears still stung her eyes when she set the knife back on the counter. She stared at the words, tears falling onto them. Akita came into the kitchen and saw Sarah sitting on the chair, and walked over to her.

"Sarah, honey, what's wrong?" she asked, then followed Sarah's gaze to the words carved into the wood.

"No fate but what we make." Sarah was muttering nonstop under her breath. Akita felt scared at her daughter's behavior.

"Sarah...are you alright?" Akita whispered. Sarah's ears twitched, but she didn't move.

Hours later, Sarah was still in the same position, still chanting to the cutting board.

"Sarah, please move. I don't care what you do, just please move!" Akita cried, and Sarah finally lifted her head. Her eyes were bloodshot, but not from insanity this time. She'd been silently killing herself by sitting there thinking about Candy.

"Sarah, you can't blame yourself for this, or keep it in your mind like this!" Akita said firmly, and Sarah just stared.

"Can I go now?" she whispered, and Akita nodded. In on swift motion, Sarah was on her feet and heading for the door. She didn't need Akita to tell her where to go, she'd find it herself. She crossed her arms and made her way out of the building and into the streets. She only snapped to attention when someone of the sidewalk saw her and started clapping and cheering. Several other people joined him and soon, everyone in eye's view was cheering. Sarah's face fell and tears returned to her eyes. Before she could fully break down, she pushed her way through the crowd. She ran as fast as she could out of the city and into the forest. By the time she had made it to the tiny grave, Sarah was breathless. She collapsed and landed hard on her knees as she struggled to bring air back into her lungs. Finally, she was breathing normally again. She leaned forward to rest her hands on the headstone marking the grave.

"I should have just killed myself when I had the chance. That seems like a better choice." she whispered.

"I don't really like the idea." a voice said from behind her and she whirled around. It was Mikey.

"How did you find me?" Sarah asked, wiping some of the tears from her eyes.

"I knew I'd find you here eventually." he responded, and Sarah stood up.

"What are you doing here?" she said quietly, and Mikey feigned hurt.

"Do you have a problem with that?" he asked, and Sarah frowned.

"No..." she whispered softly and Mikey walked up to put his hands on her shoulders.

"Sarah, I know that you're trying to blame yourself. You can't do that!" he said, and Sarah looked at him.

"Why not?" she asked defiantly and Mikey laughed.

"Because I won't let you." he said, suddenly serious. Tears returned to Sarah's eyes and she threw her arms around Mikey.

"Why does this always happen to me?!" she cried. "I lost my sister, I lost my dad though I don't give a damn about him, and now I lost Candy!"

"Sarah..." Mikey started to speak, but didn't finish. He just wrapped his arms around Sarah, holding her as she cried her heart out again.

"It's not fair! This can't keep happening to me! I wouldn't be able to take it!" she shrieked.

"Uh, Sarah? Not that I don't respect your feelings, but if you scream any louder, you're gonna break the sound barrier." Mikey said, wincing. Sarah laughed and looked up at him.

"That's what's good about you. You always make me laugh." she said, hugging him. He blushed lightly, looking down at her.

"I never realized..." Sarah began to say, but didn't know how to place the words.

"Realized what Sarah?" Mikey asked.

"I never realized how much you mean to me. Not until now." she whispered, hugging him tighter. "I never stopped to think about how you've always been there for me."

"Isn't that what friends are for?" Mikey stammered, and Sarah smiled at him.

"I don't know, is it?" she said.

"Uh, yes?" Mikey said weakly, and Sarah hugged him again.

"OK, I'm done teasing you." she said, then looked back up at him.

"What?" he asked, confused by her behavior. She, very swiftly, leaned forward and kissed him. He was shocked, but didn't pull away. Much to Mikey's disappointment, it ended as quickly as it started. Sarah looked at his expression and laughed.

"No, that's not what friends are for. But I think we're more than friends." she said and kissed him again. Then she turned and ran off, but returned.

"And Mikey?" she said.

"Yes Sarah?" Mikey asked, and Sarah smiled.

"Thanks." she said, then took off again, leaving Mikey standing there, still shocked.

~Two days later~

Sarah flopped down on the couch as soon as she got to the turtles home.

"Ugh, home sweet home!" she said, feeling weak again.]

"Sewer sweet sewer." Mikey corrected, laughing. Sarah frowned and threw something at him.

"Don't stop me now." Sarah grinned.

"Cause she's having a good time, having a good time!" Akita finished, and they both laughed. Leo rolled his eyes.

"Like mother like daughter I suppose." he said quietly.

"Do you mean the singing, or the fact that we both bruised your jaw?" Sarah asked.

"I'd rather not answer that..." Leo said, and Sarah fell back against the couch. Akita walked out of the room because her phone rang.

"I think I'll just stay right here on this couch for the next week..." Sarah mumbled to herself. A few minutes later, Akita came back in, a grin on her face.

"Sarah, guess what!" she exclaimed, and Sarah jerked upright.

"Ow. What?" she asked, puzzled by Akita's mood.

"I just got off the phone with Jonah." Akita said, confusing Sarah even more. "He told me that he, Crazy, Trimmer, Cloud, and Alex are coming to New York!" That caught Sarah's attention. Her face lit up and she jumped off the couch.

"Really?" she said excitedly, and Akita nodded.

"Yup, it's all worked out. They'll stay in my apartment with me." she said, and Sarah jumped up and down with joy.

"I can't wait to see them!" she squealed. "When are they coming?" Akita smiled again.

"They'll leave sometime tomorrow evening and get here in the morning the day after tomorrow." Akita said, attempting to calm the overjoyed girl.

"Awesome! That'll give me something to do for the next two days!" Sarah triumphed, dancing around the living room.

"Calm down Sarah! We're both excited, but you don't see me dancing!" Akita laughed. Sarah stopped dancing to catch her breath. In just two days time, Sarah would see her best friends again. She couldn't wait, she could hardly stay still. This almost made up for the pain of losing Candy, which her new relationship with Mikey was slowly healing over. It had been at least three months since she'd seen her friends, and she was impatient to see them again. There was a considerable amount of things to be done in order to prepare for their arrival, and Sarah figured it would be a great way to burn energy. And to think just three days ago she'd been in the hospital. In Sarah's eyes, this was another chance. A new beginning to go with the ending that Sarah had been sure had come when Candy died. Now Sarah would get the chance to live what life would be without Ikari destroying her life. And it all started with this.

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**Holy crap it's finally done! Yes, I have FINALLY finished my story! I FINALLY managed to make ends meet! O_O You're probably thinking 'But Sarah, you just left it hanging there! What happens when Sarah's friends come?' Well, I'm gonna eventually make a sequel, despite the fact that I hate that word. T~T It's like it's teasing me...Now, chances are I'm gonna make the sequel up as I go along. Unlike this one, where I had the whole base planned out. Now, for this story, I had some inspiration! I had some help from Twilight, a little bit of other stories, my own life (sad huh?), and music! But, it's finally done! HALLELUJAH! Heh, sorry about that...I'm just so glad that it's done! And chances are my little brother is gonna help me out a little with the next one, seeing as three of the upcoming characters are his! O_O Oh, and I also had a little help from the Jacob Black poster on my wall. He's right behind me, staring at me...sometimes when I stick my tongue out at him, he smiles and rolls his eyes. He's reading over my shoulder, and unfortunately, he's wearing a shirt...but I'm off the point. Anyway, review and tell me what you think! If it's not as good as you'd hoped, damn it don't blame me! It is 3:30 in the freaking morning and I'm so tired, the freaking poster it MOVING! :( XD**


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